About

The Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas (WA), a non-profit 501c3 organization, is the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) for Local Area IV of Kansas. The WA is the Administrative Entity and Program Administrator for U.S. Department of Labor Education and Training Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, and oversees the KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers - South Central Kansas across Butler, Cowley, Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties. The WA was established in 2000 and has extensive experience in managing employment and training programs and administering multi-million dollar workforce development grants. The WA also provides consultation, fiscal management, data collecting, monitoring, and reporting services. The WA manages or has managed federal allocated and competitive funds, state grants, local government contracts, economic development grants, corporate investments, private nonprofit/foundation grants, and generated revenue from fee-for-service activities.

The WA has been recognized as a high-performing LWDB and received exemplary practices recognition for grant management, fiscal administration, monitoring, case management, innovative collaboration with employers, use of earn and learn Models and Registered Apprenticeships, work within sector strategies, and programs for justice involved individuals and youth employment. The WA has provided consultation for LWDBs in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, New York, Montana, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Other entities that have utilized the WA’s expertise for contractual consultation include: American Institutes for Research, Brookings Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Geographic Solutions, Jobs for the Future, Mathematica, National Association of Workforce Boards, National Fund for Workforce Solutions, State of Kansas, US Department of Labor, and many economic development organizations, community-based organizations, and educational institutions.

Mission
Growing the regional economy through a skilled workforce

Vision
Supporting and advancing a competitive workforce in South Central Kansas

KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers - South Central Kansas

The Workforce Centers are a one-stop resource within the American Job Centers Network for job seekers and employers. At the Workforce Centers job seekers will find the tools and training needed to build successful careers, and employers will find help with hiring, training, or human resources needs.

Local Workforce Development Board

The Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) serves as a strategic leader and convener of local workforce development system stakeholders. The LWDB partners with employers and the workforce development system to develop policies and investments that support public workforce system strategies that support regional economies, the development of effective approaches including local and regional sector partnerships and career pathways, and high-quality, customer-centered service delivery and service delivery approaches.

WIOA mandates that a majority of local board members come from the private sector. Representatives from various community-based organizations and educational institutions that provide job-training services are also required to serve on local boards.

Chief Elected Official Board
The CEOB is comprised of elected officials from the local workforce area to oversee the workforce development system. The CEOB also appoints members to the LWBD and shares in the oversight duties of the local workforce development operations.

Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is landmark legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve our nation's public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers.

The WIOA was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. WIOA supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which proceeded the Job Training Partnership Act of 1982, proceeded by the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and amended the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of 1973, which originated with the Wagner-Peyser Act of 1933.

RFPs
As needed, the Workforce Alliance requests bids and proposals from vendors for projects, materials, equipment, etc.

Success Stories
Read how the programs and services offered through the Workforce Alliance and KANSASWORKS Workforce Centers - South Central Kansas helped individuals get on the path to employment success.

Consultation Services

FAQs