Outreach Materials
Idaho Workforce Development Council Agency Overview
Through its committees, programs, and collaborations the Idaho Workforce Development Council helps connect Idahoans to career opportunities, and Idaho’s employers to a qualified workforce.
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Child Care Expansion Grants
Child care is one of the most critical work supports for parents to successfully participate in the labor market. This funding, administered by the Workforce Development Council, will increase the number of child care seats available to working families.
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Grant Opportunities
Utilizing state, federal, and private funds, the Workforce Development Council funds employer, industry, and public sector projects that increase the economic mobility of Idahoans, support growth of the economy, and develop Idaho’s workforce pipeline through training initiatives that serve multiple employers and industries.
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Idaho Launch
Idahoans can match their skills to employer needs and research training for the skills that hiring managers seek. By filling out a simple form, they can connect with a career planner to access training funds for in-demand courses.
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Idaho LEADER Initiative
The Idaho Leader initiative is designed to help employers and education entities scale work-based learning opportunities such as internships, externships, apprenticeships, co-ops, career education, and on the-job training.
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Next Steps Idaho
An initiative of the State Board of Education in partnership with the Idaho Workforce Development Council, Next Steps Idaho is designed to help all Idahoans understand and pursue the many education and career opportunities available to them.
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Idaho Connect
Idaho Connect is an online, interactive platform that builds bridges between education and the world of work, expanding lessons beyond textbooks to help students explore careers. Educators at contracted schools can request online sessions for their classrooms from employers. Employers can build a window of opportunity to Idaho’s youth by providing sessions about what they do.
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Talent Pipeline Management (TPM)
Created by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and led in Idaho by the Idaho Workforce Development Council, TPM® is designed to be a scalable, employer-led solution designed to close the skills gap in ways that generates shared value and a return on investment (ROI) for employers as well as learners, education and workforce providers (including OPSOs), and the communities in which they reside. This systemic approach unlocks employer leadership and engagement in a novel way by speaking the language of—and leveraging strategies and practices associated with—supply chain management.
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Teacher Externship Program
Every summer, the STEM Action Center, in partnership with the Idaho Workforce Development Council, provides K-12 classroom teachers and college and career advisors the opportunity to work at an Idaho employer where they gain valuable industry experience and knowledge, helping them better prepare students for the world of work.
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Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federally funded program that establishes the Workforce Development System and provides funding to support training and employment services for adults, dislocated workers, and low-income, out-of-school youth.
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Youth Apprenticeship Readiness Grant
Through a joint effort with the Idaho Workforce Development Council, Idaho Department of Labor, and Idaho Career Technical Education, Idaho Business for Education is scaling up Idaho’s Youth Apprenticeship program, with a goal of placing 400 apprentices by 2024 in some of the 1,200 federal apprenticeships.
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Soft Skills Training Modules
The WDC is excited to share these interactive soft skills trainings presented by Idaho Digital Learning Alliance in partnership with the Idaho WDC.
The modules are designed to help you gain important employment skills that will increase your chance of finding a job and help you climb the career ladder.
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Semiconductor Workforce White Paper
Workforce Development Council recently collaborated with Micron in a public-private partnership to research the current state of the workforce as Idaho looks forward to substantial expansion. This paper details educational resources, grant investments in our STEM workforce, and private sector and nonprofit programs leveraged statewide to support the next generation of STEM experts.
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Updates
WDTF Press Releases
Council Meeting Resources
Archived Meeting Resources
Committee Meeting Resources
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Council is comprised of the Council Chairperson, the Vice Chair, and three additional members. The Executive Committee’s responsibility is to set the direction and strategy for the Council, coordinate the work of the Council’s Committees, and serve as a conduit to employers. The Executive Committee may be convened to take action on behalf of the entire Council on matters that require expeditious action.
Committee Members
- Deni Hoehne – Chair, Amazon
- John Young – Vice Chair, Young Construction
- Joe Maloney – Idaho State AFL-CIO
- Kelly Kolb – Vista Outdoor
- Sarah Griffin – Idaho Power
- Scott Bedke – Idaho Lieutenant Governor
Child Care Expansion Committee
The Child Care Expansion Grant Committee is tasked with review and recommendations to the Council for the Child Care Expansion Grant Policy, and to review Child Care Expansion Grant applications.
Committee Members:
- Sarah Griffin – Chair, Idaho Power
- Emily Allen – Idaho Voices for Children
- Martin Balben – Association for the Education of Young Children
- Anna Almerico – Idaho Out-of-School Network
- Ben Davidson – Idaho Central Credit Union
- Caroline Merritt – Chamber Alliance
- Renee Bade – Serve Idaho
- Lori McCann – Idaho House of Representatives
CNA Advisory Committee
CNA Advisory Committee co-chaired by Idaho Health & Welfare (IDHW) and Idaho Career Technical Education, is tasked with recommending a statutory framework for the governance of nursing assistants in Idaho.
Committee Members:
- Zendi Meharry – Cascadia Healthcare
- Jeff Pittard – Life Care Centers of America
- Jeff Greene – Trinity Health
- Leslie Wilson – Mountain View Hospital
- Robert Vander Merwe – Idaho Health Care Association
- Randy Hudspeth – Idaho Center for Nursing
- Nicki Chopski – Idaho Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing
- Laura Thompson – Idaho Department of Health & Welfare
- RaeLyn Price – Idaho State University
- Stephanie Mai – Idaho Career & Technical Education
- David Lent – Idaho State Senator
- Teresa Stanfill – Nurse Leaders
- Karen Leach – Idaho Hospital Association
Grant Review Committee
The Grant Review Committee is responsible for reviewing grant proposals and recommending expenditures from the Workforce Development Training Fund.
Committee Members:
- Kelly Kolb – Chair, Vista Outdoors
- Jay Larsen – Idaho Technology Council
- Brian Cox – Kochava
- Jeff Greene – Trinity Health
- Joe Maloney – Idaho AFL-CIO
- Jake Reynolds – Idaho Commerce
- Rico Barrera – Idaho Department of Labor
- Adrian San Miguel – Idaho Career & Technical Education
- Amanda Logan – Ball Ventures
- Sergio Mendoza – The Liquidation Center
One-Stop Committee
The One-Stop Committee ensures the Council fulfills the requirements of a State Workforce Investment Board as set forth in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act – with an emphasis on continuous improvement, alignment, and coordination. The Committee will draft policies as needed and coordinate procurement activities for the one-stop system.
Committee Members:
- Jane Donnellan – Chair, Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Paige Bongiorno – Idaho Division of Human Resources
- Terry Butikofer – Altura Community Consulting & Business Finance
- Beth Cunningham – Idaho Commission for the Blind & Visually Impaired
- Korene Gonzalez – Community Council of Idaho
- David Shakespear – Centennial Job Corps Center
- Korey Mereness – Idaho Career & Technical Education
- Kristyn Carr – Idaho Department of Labor
- Amelia Valasek – Idaho Commission for Libraries
- Kristin Matthews – Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Outreach Committee
The Council is responsible for “increasing public awareness of and access to career education and training opportunities.” The Outreach Committee drives the coordination across state agencies, education, and the private sector to meet this objective.
Committee Members:
- John Young – Chair, Young Construction
- Donna Butler – Dawn Enterprises
- Caty Solace – STEM Action Center
- Georgia Smith – Idaho Department of Labor
- Janelle Culley – University of Idaho TRIO
- Jeff Tucker – Idaho Public Television
- Linda Clark – State Board of Education
- Megan O’Rourke – Idaho Career & Technical Education
- Janet Pretti – College of Southern Idaho
- Anna Almerico – Idaho Out-of-School Network
- Allison Duman – Idaho State Department of Education
- Bill Reagan – Coeur d’Alene Resort
Work-Based Learning Committee
The Work-Based Learning Committee will lead the development of replicable and sustainable work-based learning opportunities. The committee serves in advisory capacity to Idaho’s Apprenticeship Idaho team.
Committee Members:
- Marie Price – Chair, Idaho Forrest Group
- Sean Kelly – Dennis Technical Center
- Gina Robison – Idaho Department of Labor
- Elizabeth Hoeper – Boise State University
- Vicki Isakson – North Idaho College
- Ryan Gravette – Idaho Digital Learning Alliance
- John Russ – College of Western Idaho
- James Smith – Idaho Falls Power
- Paula Kellerer – Idaho Business for Education
- Sean Coletti – City of Ammon
- Nate Dean – Idaho STEM Action Center
- Jerry Anhorn – Idaho State University
- Jeff Hough – Bannock County Commissioner
- Chet Andes – Idaho Career & Technical Education
Workforce Development Policy Committee
The Workforce Development Policy Committee is responsible for developing and overseeing procedures, criteria, and performance measures for the Workforce Development Training Fund, in addition to any other programs under the Council’s authority. The Committee will also develop an annual projection of needs for state investment into workforce development activities.
Committee Members:
- Hope Morrow – Chair, Idaho National Lab
- Jason Hudson, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 77
- Christi Gilchrist – College of Western Idaho
- John Smith – City of Lewiston
- Jani Revier – Idaho Department of Labor
- Tom Kealey – Idaho Commerce
- Tom Shultz – Idaho Forest Group
- Clay Long – Idaho Career & Technical Education
- Lori Barber – College of Eastern Idaho
- Dan Puga – In Time Tee
- Scott Bedke – Idaho Lieutenant Governor
WIOA Advisory Group
The WIOA Advisory Group is responsible for the implementation of the WIOA State Plan.
