A. As used in this section, “regional convener” means the local workforce development board having responsibility for coordinating business, economic development, labor, regional planning commissions, education at all levels, and human services organizations to focus on community workforce issues and the development of solutions to current and prospective business needs for a skilled labor force at the regional level.
B. As a condition of receiving WIOA funds, each local workforce development board shall either be designated as the regional convener for the WIOA region or enter into a memorandum of agreement supporting the public or private entity identified as serving as the regional convener.
C. Each regional convener shall develop, in collaboration with other workforce development entities in the region, a local plan for employer engagement. The plan shall (i) specify the policies and protocols to be followed by all of the region’s workforce development entities when engaging the region’s employers, (ii) address how the region’s workforce entities will involve employers in the formation of new workforce development initiatives, and (iii) identify what activities will be undertaken to address employers’ specific workforce needs. Each region’s plan should be reviewed by the Virginia Board of Workforce Development, and the board should recommend changes to the plans to ensure consistency across regions.