Broward Workforce Development Board

The Organizational Resources Committee (ORC) addressed several key new business items. The committee considered and recommended the renewal of thirteen BWDB members eligible for a two-year term extension. Following a call for nominations, the ORC recommended the appointments of Nelson Fernandez (construction) and Matt Rocco (manufacturing) to the BWDB. An amendment to the BWDB By-Laws was approved to specify regular meetings will generally be held on the 4th Thursday of each month. The ORC also unanimously approved adding Columbus Day and a personal day during an employee's birthday month to the CSBD holiday schedule to support retention. Finally, the committee approved the development of a severance policy for CSBD and One-Stop staff in light of potential federal funding uncertainties. The President/CEO provided an update on the successful Paycheck for Patriots job fair, which saw 2,400 job seekers, and mentioned ongoing preparations for the WOW event in March.

The Strategic Planning Committee addressed several key agenda items concerning legislative action and operational planning. Discussions focused on approving the draft 2025 Legislative Agenda for the Broward Workforce Development Board, which seeks minor modifications to the anticipated WIOA reauthorization to maintain flexibility in defining training expenditures, citing successful state-level definitions. The committee also approved support for community partners' workforce-related legislative agendas, emphasizing apprenticeship programs and affordable housing. Regarding the North Career One-Stop Center, which has a lease expiring in February 2026, the committee approved a dual-track approach: pursuing lease renewal discussions while concurrently exploring co-location opportunities with educational or community partners in North Broward. Furthermore, the committee approved regional collaboration initiatives to be shared with CareerSource South Florida for the joint Regional Plan, including coordinated marketing and shared events. Finally, the committee reviewed and approved the final updates to the PY 24/25 Strategic Planning Matrix.

The meeting agenda for the One-Stop Services Committee included several key new business items requiring approval. These actions involved considering the transfer of up to $520,000 from WIOA Dislocated Worker Funds to WIOA Adult Funds to better align with current customer demand. The committee also reviewed and considered approval for the Program Year 25/26 Revised Budget, which reflected an overall increase in total available funds compared to preliminary planning numbers. Furthermore, they considered adding APEX Training Center as an Eligible Training Provider for the HVAC Mechanic Assistant course and reviewed updates to the Strategic Planning Matrix. The committee also addressed the upcoming 2026 Worlds of Work event, recommending the distribution of exhibitor and supporter opportunity forms. Reports included updates on the Co-Parenting Resource & Employment Fair, the Aviation Industry Job Fair, the Mid-Year Progress Report for the Marketing & Communications Strategic Plan, a host session for the Leadership Fort Lauderdale Class, the Monthly Performance Report for November, and a review of the Broward County Unemployment and Economic Dashboard for December 2025.

The meeting agenda included consideration of a new business item regarding requiring Board members to attend a specific number of in-person meetings annually to promote engagement. Additionally, the committee considered two appointments to the Broward Workforce Development Board (BWDB): Kris Hopkins to the Workforce Labor Organization category and Dr. Kelly Moore to the Education Category, both filling mandatory seats. The meeting procedures included protocols for telephone/Zoom attendance and conflict-of-interest declarations.

The committee unanimously approved the acceptance of $650,000 in Non-Custodial Parent (NCP) Employment Program Funds from Florida Commerce, intended to assist NCPs meeting child support obligations through services like paid work experience and training scholarships. The addition of three training programs at Florida Atlantic University (FAU)—Construction Administration Certificate, Construction Management Certificate, and Certified Associate Project Management (CAPM)®—to the WIOA Individual Training Account List was also approved. Furthermore, the One-Stop Services Committee 2026 Meeting Schedule, consisting of six in-person meetings, received unanimous approval. The committee reviewed and approved the next steps, benchmarks, and updates to the One-Stop Services Committee Strategic Planning Matrix. Performance reports highlighted that the committee exceeded all performance measures, showing strong WIOA Entered Employment Rates, and the Paychecks for Patriots Job Fair 2025 achieved record attendance. Updates on AI tools for job seekers and Individual Training Account (ITA) Provider Performance, which showed all programs meeting the 70% placement rate, were also discussed.