* “I believe that to fully understand what it means to be demand driven will require workforce investment professionals to be more in tune with regional and state economic development initiatives. Workforce investment professionals should work closely with economic development organizations and employer organizations to ensure that training and employment efforts are designed to meet the skill needs of the area’s businesses and industries,” says Brad Sickles of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration in this month’s interview.

*Plan now to attend Workforce Innovations 2006, July 11 - l3, at the Anaheim Convention Center, in Anaheim, California. Co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the American Society for Training and Development, Workforce Innovations is the premier annual conference where local, state and national workforce leaders, and partners from industry, education, and economic development, gather to share their common experiences and challenges in building a highly skilled and adaptable workforce.

* This year Workforce Innovations will focus on Regional Strategies...Global Results: Talent Driving Prosperity. You will come away equipped with the strategies, models and tools you need to develop your own regional area's capacity to meet global economic competition. More than 3,000 workforce, education, economic development and industry partners are expected to attend and take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity; you will want to be part of the experience!

*This month in Hot Topics

*Check out InDemand—Connecting today's students with the careers of tomorrow. Each issue will explore careers in a different high growth industry. It will provide students as well as guidance counselors, parents and teachers with interesting and relevant information about career opportunities, education and the skills needed for various jobs. It offers resources to explore careers and tips about how to help students build successful futures.

Labor Department Issues First-Ever Regulations Protecting the Reemployment Rights of America's Soldiers

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced regulations, to be published Monday, Dec. 19 in the Federal Register, interpreting the law that protects employment and reemployment rights and benefits of service members upon their return to civilian life. This is the first time since its passage in 1994 that the Department of Labor has developed regulations to explain and clarify the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA). Also see the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA)

Labor Department Launches New Compliance Assistance Web Portal

WASHINGTON -- Today the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its new Compliance Assistance Web Portal, designed to help members of the regulated community understand and comply with federal employment laws and regulations administered by DOL. Located at www.dol.gov/compliance, the redesigned Compliance Assistance Portal is an enhanced, more user-friendly version of the department's previous compliance assistance Web site.

HUD Announces Grants under Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency Program Coordinators to Focus on Education, Training and Employment

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $32,924,397 in grants to public housing agencies across the country today that will be used to improve public housing residents access to information that can lead to employment and economic self-sufficiency. The funding comes from is provided through HUD's Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) Program.

*In this month’s Featured Programs U.S. Department of Labor Announces Grants of Nearly $14 Million To Train Workers for Careers in the Energy Industry

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced six grants to train workers in Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming for careers in the energy industry. The grants awarded today are part of a nearly $27 million investment in support of the nation's energy workforce under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative, a strategic plan to prepare workers for jobs in expanding industries.

O*NET: New and Updated Database Files Now Available; OMB Approves Data Collection through December 2008

The workforce community is reminded that the National O*NET Center has released several new and updated Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database files. The National Crosswalk Service Center offers a synopsis of and links to these announcements -- including the 9.0 Database Development Release, Tools and Technology Database (new), Emerging Tasks Database (updated), and the 8.0 Database (updated).

Also see: O*NET Consortium: What's New

The Office of Management and Budget has approved the Employment and Training Administration's request for an extension of the O*NET Data Collection Program (OMB 1205-0421). The approval extends the data collection through December 31, 2008