DEPARTMENT: Economic Development and Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Alejandra Lopez and Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
COVID-19 Community Recovery and Resiliency Plan Workforce Development Pillar Strategies
SUMMARY:
This item provides a briefing and possible action on the implementation of the workforce development strategies included in the COVID-19 Community Recovery and Resiliency Plan approved by City Council on June 4, 2020. Implementation of these strategies will include the process for a participant to navigate from unemployment to training/education and job placement through the support of partner agencies and childcare assistance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
City Council approved the COVID 19 Recovery and Resiliency Plan for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on June 4, 2020. The plan was developed around the five Guiding Principles of: 1) Public Health and Safety; 2) Equity; 3) Braided Funding; 4) Community Resilience and 5) Well-being.
The strategies associated with this Plan are categorized into four pillars: Workforce Development, Housing Security, Small Business Support, and Digital Inclusion. Each of the four pillars was assigned to a City Council Committee, which will review the implementation plans for each strategy in their assigned pillar. The Economic and Workforce Development Committee will review the Workforce Development and Small Business Support Pillar strategies. The approved budgets for each Pillar are $75 million and $38.8 million, respectively. The strategies included in Workforce Development Pillar include:
• Workforce training/education and support services with a focus on high demand jobs, and
• Temporary childcare support for working families.
On June 2, 2020, the Economic and Workforce Development Committee received a briefing on the COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Plan to include the outcomes associated with the workforce development strategies, as well as recommended funding levels associated with intake, assessment, referral, training, stipends, career navigation and wraparound support for participants.
ISSUE:
Staff will provide a briefing on the implementation plan associated with the workforce development strategies included in the COVID-19 Community Recovery and Resiliency Plan. This briefing will include the expected outcomes, implementation partners and associated budgets, participant process overview, equity and engagement strategies and major milestones.
Staff will return to the Council Committee on June 23, 2020 to present the implementation plan associated with the strategies associated in the Small Business Support Pillar, which include micro business grants, arts grants support, door-to-door engagement with hard-to-reach micro businesses, virtual and place-based resource hubs, on-the-job-training support, protective equipment and supplies distribution.
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total budget for the Workforce Development Pillar is $75 million. The budget for the execution of these strategies was approved by City Council on June 4, 2020
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the implementation plan for the Workforce Development Pillar strategies included in the COVID-19 Community Recovery and Resiliency Plan.