The Boone and Winnebago Counties Workforce Investment Board was created by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to, in partnership with the Local Elected Officials, plan and oversee the local workforce development system.

The mission of the Boone and Winebago Counties Workforce Investment Board is to create a competitive, skilled and educated workforce by providing a system for the citizens of Boone and Winnebago Counties to gain meaningful employment responsive to the needs of business.

The Workforce Connection, the service delivery arm of the Workforce Investment Board, is a partnership of state and federally funded employment and training programs, economic development agencies and educational entities committed to providing a workforce that meets the needs of our business community, now and in the future.

The One Stop Centers in Rockford and Belvidere provide one contact for employers to find workers and for job-seekers to receive training, education and employment services.

WIB Staff:
Darcy Bucholz
WIB Executive Director
303 N. Main
Rockford, IL 61101
815-395-6609; FAX 815-395-8548

Pamela Fettes
Regional Health Care Coordinator
303 N. Main
Rockford, IL 61101
815-395-6673 FAX 815-395-8548

Robert Jones Jr.
Business Account Manager
303 N. Main
Rockford, IL 61101
815-395-6619; Fax 815-395-8548

John Strandin
Public Relations Manager
303 N. Main
Rockford, IL 61101
815-395-6688; Fax 815-395-8548

Trudy Wellman
Board Assistant
303 N. Main
Rockford, IL 61101
815-395-6638; Fax 815-395-8548

Boone and Winnebago Counties Workforce Investment Board
Strategic Priorities
2006 – 2008


Guiding Principles:
• Demand-driven
• Accountability
• Customer Focused
• Customized (Flexible)
• One-Stop for Services (Accessible)
• Locally-driven

Strategic Priorities and Objectives:
1. Establish and implement workforce development strategies to strengthen the competitiveness of targeted emerging and existing industry sectors.
a) Strengthen the partnership with economic development organizations.
b) Ensure that the region’s training entities are providing focused skill training for a substantial percentage of incumbent workers.
c) Establish The Workforce Connection as a “demand driven” service delivery system for business services and job seeker services.
d) Invest training funds in identified targeted industry sectors.

2. Define the workforce development needs of the community and identify and promote effective solutions.
a) Facilitate and support activities to increase career awareness.
b) Establish “bridge programs” for targeted populations.
c) Collaborate with education and industry to establish skill training pipelines.
d) Incorporate activities identifying workforce skills, career pathways, entrepreneurship, and educational skills in all WIA funded programs.

3. Ensure the accountability of workforce investments.
a) Comply with all funding source guidelines and performance measures.
b) Improve coordination between partner agencies and programs.
c) Identify and achieve administrative efficiencies and better service integration in the workforce system.
d) Optimize training and the availability of training funds.
e) Ensure that needed information systems are in place to track system-wide activities and services.
f) Provide needed staff development for The Workforce Connection and partner agency front-line personnel.
g) Establish and implement measurable goals, objectives and metrics for continuous improvement of service delivery.
h) Promote awareness of activities and services of The Workforce Connection.
i) Ensure the implementation of the Operational Plan.
j) Establish partnerships with Community-Based and Faith-Based Organizations to maximize service delivery throughout the bi-county area and reach under-served populations.

4. Establish Boone and Winnebago Counties Workforce Investment Board as the leader for workforce development in Boone and Winnebago Counties.
a) Clarify the respective responsibilities of the Workforce Investment Board, Fiscal Agent, and the One-Stop Operator Consortium.
b) Develop and implement a communications strategy to build a visible and assertive presence in the community.
c) Formalize the partnership between the WIB and economic development and educational entities.
d) Communicate to stakeholders how their interests are represented on the WIB.
e) Establish a board development plan, inclusive of succession planning for WIB leadership.
f) Establish a Boone and Winnebago Counties Workforce Investment Board, Inc. as an agency capable of accepting grants and developing funding from non-grant sources such as fee-for-service opportunities.