DOVER — Gov. Matt Meyer has re-established the Delaware Workforce Development Board through an executive order, but this time on a smaller scale with a new office to support its efforts.
Established years before, the Workforce Development Board was created to evaluate and support Delaware job training efforts. The office works in concert with state agencies and private partners to help identify gaps and fund or support workforce development programs with private partners.
The previous board included 50 state and business representatives. Meyer’s executive order, however, has slimmed the organization down to 30 members. The board will have some appointees that were chosen by the previous administration, while Meyer will appoint new members in the days to come.
Scott Malfitano, a senior executive at Wilmington-based business services giant CSC, will continue to serve as chair.
Malfitano told the Delaware Business Times that the board, as re-established under Meyer’s executive order, will help respond to employers and workers needs more efficiently.
“The new board will foster more agile decision-making and reduce bureaucratic waste. This structure will enable us to direct resources where they’re needed most, ensuring that upskilling providers and training organizations receiving federal funding are closely connected to the businesses actively hiring,” he wrote in an email to the Delaware Business Times.
In the past, the Delaware Workforce Development Board awarded grants to institutions like the University of Delaware to set up a co-op program and launched a smartphone app to connect job seekers to the thousands of available positions.
But now, it will collaborate with the newly established Office of Workforce Development to serve as a one-stop shop between the private sector and all Delaware government agencies. This office will ensure state and federal funding are strategically used to ensure access to education, career counseling, job training and placement. One of the goals will be to expand its reach to apprenticeships, online training and certifications.
The Office of Workforce Development will also monitor workforce trends as well as look ahead to train Delawareans for the jobs of tomorrow, one of the core tenants of the Meyer administration.
Housed in the Delaware Department of Labor, the office will also be the recipient of federal grants allocated through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The board will handle the administrative functions that come with that federal funding.
“Establishing the Office of Workforce Development will streamline efforts, improve services, and equip Delawareans with the tools to succeed in the jobs of the future,” Meyer said in a prepared statement. “A centralized office and smaller Workforce Development Board will enable every Delawarean — regardless of background — to have a clear pathway to career success.”
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the board was established in 2020.
