President Appointed to State Workforce Board

Board identifies future workforce needs, communicates a long-term vision for Oregon

Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) president, Dr. Laurie Chesley, was recently appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown to a three-year post on the state’s Workforce and Talent Development board. Her term began on July 1.

The state’s Workforce and Talent Development board is comprised of 40 appointed members who advise the governor and the legislature on workforce policy to strengthen Oregon’s workforce systems for both workers and businesses. Initiated by the federal government’s 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the volunteer group builds partnerships that merge public and private interests, aligns policy with resources and education, advances equity among communities, and communicates a long-term vision for Oregon that identifies future workforce needs, among other objectives.

“I’m honored to be a part of this board, to bring a Central Oregon voice to its mission,” said Chesley. “At COCC, we’re actively listening and partnering with industry needs and trends to further new careers, to contribute to Central Oregon’s strength and to make an impact on the future of Oregon. In the past year, we’ve developed and introduced a number of new regional workforce training offerings, such as our embedded certified nursing assistant training which partners with St. Charles, our state-recognized community health worker training and a new degree in geographical information systems.”

Between now and 2030, the state anticipates that more than 120,000 additional jobs with post-secondary training or education will be required within Oregon’s labor force, and the Workforce and Talent Development board is working toward meeting that Adult Education and Training goal, set forth in 2018.

President of COCC since 2019, Chesley also serves on the boards of EDCO and Better Together, and is a member of the governor’s Central Oregon Regional Solutions Advisory Council.