Public Notice 15-day Comment Period – Proposed Local Workforce Development Area Redesignation

Public Notice – 15-Day Comment Period

Local Area Redesignation Application Final

Proposed Local Workforce Development Area Redesignation

The Southern Workforce Board (SWB) (www.swb-ok.com) and the South-Central Workforce Development Board (SCWDB) (www.scowib.info) are accepting public comments on a proposal to absorb the South Central Oklahoma Workforce Development Area, creating a single Local Workforce Development Area serving 25 counties across south and south-central Oklahoma. This redesignation is intended to strengthen regional collaboration, improve operational efficiency, and enhance workforce services while maintaining local governance under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

Under the proposal, the Southern Workforce Board would become the designated Local Workforce Development Board for the expanded 25-county area. The redesignation is intended to reduce administrative duplication, strengthen regional workforce planning, and expand access to workforce services while maintaining continuity of services for job seekers, employers, workforce partners, and required one-stop partners. Existing workforce centers, service providers, and partner relationships are expected to remain in place throughout the transition.

The proposed redesignation identifies several anticipated benefits, including:

  • Absorbing the South-Central Workforce Development Area into the Southern Oklahoma Workforce Board to create a unified regional workforce system.
  • Improved coordination across a shared regional labor market.
  • More efficient use of federal workforce resources.
  • Enhanced partnerships with employers, educational institutions, CareerTech centers, and economic development organizations.
  • Increased investment in training for high-demand industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, skilled trades, government, and education.
  • Consistent policies and service delivery across the expanded workforce area.
  • Continued commitment to strong fiscal oversight and performance accountability.
    The redesignation proposal notes that both workforce boards have demonstrated strong performance outcomes and fiscal integrity. It further states that this redesignation will preserve local governance while positioning the expanded Southern Oklahoma Workforce Board to better meet the region’s workforce and economic development needs.
    The Southern Oklahoma Workforce Board encourages comments from employers, businesses, labor organizations, educational institutions, economic development organizations, community-based organizations, required workforce partners, Chief Local Elected Officials, Tribal Nations, job seekers, and members of the public at trinas@scworkforceboard.org

Public Comment Period: 15 Days

All comments received during the comment period will be reviewed and considered before the redesignation application is submitted to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission for consideration.