The Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS) is an executive branch agency established in 2020 that serves as the administrative staff to the Governor’s Workforce Council (GWC). Its vision is that every Connecticut resident has access to a meaningful career pathway and the support needed to fulfill their aspirations, and for every Connecticut business to have access to a skilled workforce. Work focuses on building the systems, teams, and approaches that make Connecticut a talent environment that attracts and motivates students, career builders, and companies alike.
An example of its work is a project initiated in December 2023, The Scaling the Skills-Based Workforce System in CT, as part of the national SkillsFWD initiative. Connecticut's project is expanding the state’s skills-based hiring ecosystem, leveraging LERs (Learning and Employment Records) to bridge the skills gap, foster equitable and effective employment practices, and set a scalable model for nationwide, demand-driven workforce development.
In collaboration with its WIOA partners, OWS submitted a state plan for 2024-2027 which has been conditionally approved by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. The plan lays out the OWS strategy for the four-year period, including how it will assist residents, especially youth and those with barriers to employment, to obtain quality jobs and careers, as well as help employers hire and retain skilled workers.