About
Established in 2007, the Columbia-Willamette Workforce Collaborative (CWWC) is a dynamic partnership of the region’s three Workforce Development Boards:
The Collaborative is dedicated to enhancing the region’s workforce, fostering business growth and economic development, and strategically managing public workforce investments. We serve as strategic conveners, investors, coordinators, researchers, and brokers. We align resources, streamline services, and enhance outcomes.
Our Targeted industries
By collaborating with businesses, higher education, economic development, labor, community organizations, WorkSource centers, and others we are preparing job seekers for quality employment within our target industries:
Regional Impact:
A Unified Approach Across Six Counties
Achievements
Nationally Recognized Model for Industry Engagement
The Collaborative has achieved significant success, securing nearly $60M in competitive workforce funding.
Our model for engaging industry, identifying workforce issues, and implementing shared solutions has gained national recognition.
We strategically choose sectors based on economic significance, current number of job openings, job growth projections, wages supporting self-sufficiency, and career advancement opportunities.
By examining labor market intelligence and collaborating with businesses, we develop customized solutions for each sector.
Industry Engagment Framework
I
Investigate
Goal
Determine target audience
II
Inventory & Analyze
Goal
Vet growth trends, produce industry report
Phase
III
Convene
Goal
Prioritize potential workforce initiatives
Phase
IV
Act
Goal
Implement workforce initiatives.
Phase
V
Evaluate
Goal
Produce a final report, identify next steps
Building a Strong Foundation:
Guiding Workforce Training Investments
We guide public workforce training investments to address the needs of our combined laborshed. Recognizing that people are willing to travel for opportunities and businesses seek the most qualified workers, we collaborate to cultivate a robust regional talent pool, laying the foundation for a strong economy.
CWWC Activities
Provide Research & Analysis of Labor Market and Workforce Trends
- Coordinate and publish regional research reports:
- State of the Workforce
- Sector Labor Market Reports
- Opportunity Youth
- Facilitate connections with state labor market staff and economists
- Coordinate and support regional research and analysis
Expand Regional Access to and Effectiveness of the Public Workforce System
- Report system-wide and center-specific performance
- Expand network of community-based organization partners
- Leverage public investment for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts
- Coordinate assessments of the regional WorkSource and youth systems
- Oversee customer satisfaction survey process
Support the Workforce Needs of Regional Businesses
- Liaison to the public workforce development system business teams
- Manage and evaluate feedback from employers
- Identify and solve regional employer workforce needs
- Troubleshoot growth challenges by connecting business partners to reliable resources
Enhance Support for Regional Economic Development
- Liaison to business groups and economic development organizations
- Single point of contact for new business recruitment
- Coordinate regional response to workforce issues identified on business recruitment and expansion (BRE) visits
- Align resources to support new or expanding operations
Coordinate Regional Industry Support
- Convene industry skill panels for targeted sectors of advanced manufacturing, construction, healthcare & social assistance, and clean energy
- Oversee industry Workforce Plans and deliverables
Seek and Secure Additional Funding
- Coordinate grant writing
- Expand financial support of regional workforce development efforts
- Pursue funding for projects and initiatives, including support for industry location or expansion
Regional Public Workforce System (WorkSource)
One of our primary responsibilities is to coordinate and oversee the region’s public workforce development system—known as WorkSource. Anchored by eight centers, the system serves about 100,000 customers annually. Staff from a broad array of community, education and other partners are co-located at every center and work together to serve job seekers, workers and businesses.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
The Columbia-Willamette Workforce Collaborative invites elected officials, businesses, government agencies, and funders to join us in shaping the future of our region. Together, we can continue to build a skilled, adaptable, and resilient workforce that drives economic development and prosperity for all.