Raising the profile of workforce development: ACS to present to local and state workforce leaders in Pennsylvania on the value of strategic advocacy and communication.

Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) will present to workforce development leaders at the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association Conference on May 18, 2016. ACS Vice President Scarlett Bouder and Senior Strategist Rebecca Cohen will join Michael Lawrence, Principal of Community Workforce Advancements, LLC to help workforce professionals:

1. raise their workforce organization’s profile at both the local and state level,
2. promote their value as strategic boards, and
3. clearly articulate an agenda that includes policymakers, business, education, economic development and nonprofit stakeholders.

The workshop will include elements of the Advocacy 101 and Becoming a Great Spokesperson professional development trainings, as well as critical steps to be strategic in strategy and implementation. Participants will learn about the basics of advocacy and interact with each other to create their own messages.

With the new legislation of the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Workforce Boards have an even greater opportunity to become more strategic, acting as catalysts and coalition builders, as they build career pathways, industry sector strategies, engage new target audiences and stakeholders, and have greater impact on their community. ACS, along with workforce partners Workforce Advancements, LLC and Workforce Systems Associates offers several opportunities to help local and state workforce entities build coalitions and their own strategic leadership to play an active role in workforce and community development.