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moving Future Ready forward

it is time to lay the foundation and prepare for the future of the workforce in Oregon.

2025 legislative priorities

CALL to ACTION. Please support:

Support Oregon's Workforce!

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Prosperity Programs

Continued investment in Prosperity 10,000 will:

Prepare, employ, and advance thousands of Oregonians, who continue to be displaced by employment changes that occurred during the pandemic, into satisfying family wage careers in manufacturing, health care, and construction.

Build coalitions and institutional capacity to improve service delivery and career-connected learning opportunities for thousands of additional Oregonians in the decades ahead.

Funding will continue to be used to pursue new models of service delivery that bring together education and training, career counseling, and wraparound supports to meet the specific needs of underserved populations – people of color, rural Oregonians, veterans, incarcerated populations, young people disconnected from education, and Oregonians with low incomes.

Prosperity Programs FAQs2024-11-04T20:41:44+00:00

Local Workforce Boards have a scalable, big-tent approach that connects the strengths of local community-based, education, business and other partners with services offered through the public workforce system. This broad and scalable approach is implemented through established networks of local partners that provide start-to-finish career coaching services including outreach, referral to skill development and training opportunities, and referral to wraparound support services that enable participation and success.

A large share of low-income workers who have lost their jobs need support meeting their basic needs while going through training and placement to re-career. This means providing paid internships, paid community service work, stipends, and other income supports in conjunction with occupational training and placement into middle-income career opportunities. Services Include: Paid Internships, Cohort-Based Occupational Training, Training Stipends, Scholarships, Registered Pre-Apprenticeship Programs, On-the-Job Training, Current Worker Training, and Registered Apprenticeships.

Wrap-around supports, including childcare, housing, and behavioral health support, are needed to enable people navigating poverty to participate in programs that will help them re-engage in the workforce. We must provide childcare support for people navigating poverty with young children otherwise the high cost and limited access to childcare will prohibit them from going through a training program and starting a new job. We must provide housing placement and eviction prevention for people who no longer have an income to pay their rent, otherwise the impacts of homelessness will greatly reduce their ability to get back into a new job and career. And we must provide supports such as mental health and substance use treatment as we help people return to new careers after the traumatizing impacts of the pandemic. Services include: Rental Assistance, Childcare, Utilities payment support, Computer and Internet Access, Transportation, Mental Health, Alcohol & Drug Treatment, Household Assistance Work, Related Clothing, and Tools. Local Workforce Boards coordination with the WSO system and distribute resources to community-based organizations, education entities, and other local partners with a requirement to serve BIPOC, women, young-workers, rural residents, and others most impacted by COVID -19. Services and outcomes are be tracked and reported using the existing statewide workforce data and reporting system (I-Trac). All data are disaggregated by race, gender, and geography.

WorkSource Reentry

Bill# HB 2972

Each year, over 4,000 individuals reenter Oregon communities from state correctional facilities. With a current recidivism rate of 38.5%, the need for employment and other reentry services and connections for returning citizens is significant in order to improve this outcome for returning citizens.

How can Oregon support industry’s need for talent while reducing recidivism of Oregonians returning to their communities from state prison? Oregon’s Department of Corrections provides release planning services to interested individuals nearing their release date to support transitions back into communities. And through a new partnership with the Oregon Employment Department and Local Workforce Boards, returning citizens can access employment preparation and placement services using WorkSource.

WorkSource Reentry FAQs2024-11-19T21:04:17+00:00

Using DOCs release planning model, Oregon Workforce Partnership and the Oregon Employment Department (through a US Dept of Labor grant) have implemented WorkSource Centers in all of Oregon’s 12 state correctional facilities.

Oregon’s Department of Corrections, currently, provides release planning services to interested individuals, which can include educational services, housing placements, etc. The Oregon Employment Department and Local Workforce Boards, currently, collaborate on employment placement services using WorkSource (the state’s training and employment assistance program) within communities.

  • The state of Oregon will see increased revenue from this employment, lower recidivism rates, and citizens further invested in their communities. An investment of $3 million will allow OED, OWP, and DOC to expand WorkSource reentry services to ALL Oregon state correctional facilities.

WorkSource Oregon Reentry services provide, and leverage, a range of employment specific service:

  • Work preparation services like developing a resume, cover letter, and interview practice
  • Training and education services
  • Job search and placement assistance
  • Financial literacy and budgeting classes
  • Computer skills

Rapid attachment to meaningful employment is significantly correlated with reduced recidivism and investing in
expansion of the WorkSource Reentry program will support:

  • 650 individuals, annually, as they transition into gainful employment upon release
  • Aim to reduce the annual recidivism rate by 13%
  • Save Oregon taxpayers over $3 million within the program’s initial span
    • Housing Oregon’s inmates costs $38,000 (annually, per inmate), WorkSource Reentry achieves
      reintegration and employment connections for a one-time cost of just $5,000 per person.

Oregon’s Trucking Crisis

The trucking industry is vital to Oregon’s economy, employing 1 in 16 people and transporting 90.9% of manufactured goods. However, a projected driver shortage of 160,000 nationwide by 2028 poses a challenge, particularly in Oregon, where 77% of communities depend on truck transport. We propose allocating $10 million to local workforce development boards to expand Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training and reduce barriers for individuals, especially in rural areas.

Previous funding efforts showed 83% of graduates secured employment, overcoming barriers through comprehensive support.

We propose an ask of $8.2 million in funding to expand CDL training, essential for Oregon’s economy, especially in rural areas. We urge the Oregon Legislature to allocate the necessary funds to support this workforce development initiative.

Oregon’s Trucking Crisis FAQs2024-12-06T19:54:41+00:00

The trucking industry employs 1 in 16 Oregonians and transports 90.9% of the state’s manufactured goods. However, a looming nationwide driver shortage of 160,000 by 2028 poses a significant risk to Oregon, where 77% of communities rely solely on trucks for goods transportation. Increased funding for CDL training is vital to address this shortage, sustain supply chains, and support economic resilience.

Many aspiring CDL drivers encounter high training costs ($5,200–$6,000), limited program availability, and associated expenses such as commuting and vehicle maintenance. The proposed $8.2 million funding allocation will reduce these barriers by:

•Offering scholarships for training.

•Covering commuting and vehicle maintenance costs.

•Providing wrap-around services, including rent assistance.

The funding will support local workforce boards in partnering with CDL training providers to:

•Increase training capacity by adding program seats.

•Reduce entry barriers through financial and logistical support.

•Enhance outreach to underrepresented groups for recruitment.

•Provide job placement assistance by collaborating with local employers.

The funding will:

•Train more CDL drivers to meet growing state demand.

•Strengthen supply chains and support local businesses.

•Create sustainable career opportunities for underserved communities.

•Ease access to training for individuals facing financial challenges.

Previous efforts show that 83% of graduates secured employment, highlighting the program’s effectiveness.

The proposal is endorsed by organizations such as the Oregon Trucking Associations (OTA) and the Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board. These endorsements emphasize the critical need for funding to sustain Oregon’s economy, particularly in rural areas. Allocating $8.2 million to expand CDL training will address workforce shortages, reduce barriers, and support economic growth.

SB 623

Requires State Workforce and Talent Development Board to convene representatives from state workforce agencies and local workforce development boards to identify program and system changes to support individuals and business most impacted by COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 wildfire disasters.

Prosperity 10,000

The Oregon Prosperity 10,000 program is designed to invest in Oregon’s private sector businesses and human capital. This is in direct response to industry demands to eliminate barriers, and upskill and retrain employees.

SB 1545

Remove barriers for under-represented communities looking to enter the workforce and provide living wage job opportunities all while building a skilled talent pool to ensure a vibrant Oregon

Sectors

Advanced/Manufacturing

BioScience

Child Care

Clean Energy

Construction

Creatives

Early Care & Education

Food and Beverage Manufacturing

Healthcare & Social Assistance

Hospitality & Leisure

Maritime

Manufacturing

Natural Resources

Technology

Transportation & Logistics

Warehousing

Wood Products

Initiatives

Advocacy

Benefits Navigators

Media & News

OETA Training 

Prosperity Programs

Reentry Program

WIOA Reauthorization

WORKing Together 

Registered Apprenticeships

Contact

971|208.5209

info@oregonworkforcepartnership.org

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