Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board

Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board
Name	Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board
Formation	1998
Type	Public-private partnership
Headquarters	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Region served	Milwaukee County
Leader title	Executive Director

Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board

The Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board operates as a regional workforce development entity in Milwaukee County, connecting employers, educational institutions, labor unions, philanthropic organizations, and elected officials to coordinate employment and training initiatives. It engages with municipal agencies, state departments, academic partners, and community-based organizations to align job placement, occupational training, and labor market information with strategic economic development priorities.

History

The board was created amid federal and state restructuring influenced by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, following models advocated by the National Governors Association, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Employment and Training Administration. Its early formation involved collaboration among the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, the City of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and private sector leaders from entities such as the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and regional employers including Harley-Davidson, Aurora Health Care, and Froedtert Health. Over subsequent decades the board linked operations with workforce intermediaries like Goodwill Industries International, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, and community colleges including Milwaukee Area Technical College and statewide systems such as the Wisconsin Technical College System. Federal program changes tied to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, and initiatives from the Aspen Institute shaped the board’s strategic redesigns. Milestones included partnerships with vocational training providers, collaborations with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and pilot projects with nonprofits such as LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), Just One More Ministry, and Employ Milwaukee.

Organization and Governance

The board’s governance model reflects a public-private composition similar to standards promoted by the U.S. Department of Labor and regional workforce boards in cities like Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis. Its membership roster historically included representatives from major employers (e.g., Northwestern Mutual, ManpowerGroup), labor organizations such as the AFL–CIO, education leaders from University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and Cardinal Stritch University, civic groups like Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, and elected officials from the Wisconsin Legislature and Milwaukee Common Council. Committees for finance, audit, youth services, business engagement, and sector strategies mirror structures used by the Brookings Institution workforce initiatives and the National Skills Coalition. Executive leadership frequently coordinated with the Governor of Wisconsin’s office, the Milwaukee County Executive, and federal officials at the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives level when pursuing waivers, grants, and demonstration projects.

Programs and Services

Program areas tracked by the board historically included adult career services, dislocated worker assistance, youth employment programs, incumbent worker training, and sector-based employer partnerships. Operational partners included ManpowerGroup, Goodwill Industries International, YWCA Milwaukee, Employ Milwaukee, United Way, and academic providers like Milwaukee School of Engineering and Marquette University. Training pipelines emphasized healthcare occupations aligned with Aurora Health Care and Froedtert Health, manufacturing pathways connected to Johnson Controls International, information technology curricula linked to Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design collaborations, and construction trades coordinated with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers locals and Sheet Metal Workers Local 18. Youth initiatives partnered with organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Milwaukee Urban League, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Milwaukee. Support services referenced included coordination with Wisconsin Department of Children and Families programs, veterans’ services in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and transitional employment pilots like those run by Rubicon Programs.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding and partnerships combined federal streams from the U.S. Department of Labor under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act with state allocations from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, local government appropriations, and private philanthropic grants from organizations such as the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Bradley Foundation, and national funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Corporation for National and Community Service. Corporate partnerships involved Harley-Davidson, Northwestern Mutual, ManpowerGroup, and regional health systems. Collaborative grant efforts linked the board to workforce consortia like ChargePoint, regional economic initiatives from the Milwaukee 7 council, and demonstration projects sponsored by the Kresge Foundation and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Performance and Outcomes

Performance reporting used metrics consistent with federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act accountability—entered employment rates, median earnings, credential attainment, and retention at 6- and 12-month intervals—benchmarking against peer metropolitan workforce boards in Chicago, Minneapolis–Saint Paul, and Cleveland. Outcome highlights were reported in partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College credential completions, employer job placements with Aurora Health Care and Johnson Controls International, and youth employment rates through collaborations with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Milwaukee Urban League. Evaluations conducted or cited by entities such as the Urban Institute, Mathematica Policy Research, and the American Institutes for Research influenced program adjustments and sector strategy prioritization.

Controversies and Criticism

Criticism of the board mirrored debates faced by workforce boards nationwide, including concerns raised by local advocacy groups like Voces de la Frontera and civil rights organizations regarding equitable access for populations served by Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. Local media outlets including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and reporting by regional public affairs programs questioned procurement transparency, contract oversight with providers like Goodwill Industries International and ManpowerGroup, and measurable returns on investment compared to administrative costs. Policy critiques referenced federal audits from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and watchdog analyses by the Government Accountability Office about performance measurement, alongside calls from community organizations and labor unions for increased accountability, living-wage employer commitments, and targeted investments in historically disinvested neighborhoods represented by members of the Milwaukee Common Council.

Category:Organizations based in Milwaukee