To lead and empower the Newark workforce system by leveraging assets and resources to ensure the educational, professional and economic success of Newark residents and the prosperity of businesses.

The Newark Workforce Development Board (NWDB), under the direction of Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s Office of Workforce Development, is both a government agency and a 501c-3 non-profit organization. The Mission of the NWDB is to lead and empower the City of Newark’s workforce system by leveraging assets and resources to ensure the educational, professional and economic success of Newark residents, and the prosperity of businesses in our community.

The Newark Workforce Development Board is a business-led board that operates like a Board of Directors that engages businesses to link the services of the local workforce system with the needs of the private sector. The NWDB is charged with integrating publicly funded workforce services and job training programs into a system that is flexible, seamless, accountable, and responsive to the needs of both workers and businesses.

Created pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, which is now the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) that was signed into law in 2014, the Newark Workforce Investment Board was incorporated in 2001. Now the Newark Workforce Development Board, the NWDB’s role is to ensure that optimal investments are made in the City of Newark to support workforce development training, and job preparation for residents.

In collaboration with our State and Local partners, the Newark Workforce Development Board has several Joint Sub-Committees with the Essex County Workforce Development Board:

• Business & Economic Development (BEDC)

• Disability Issues

• Education & Literacy

• Welfare-to-Work

• Youth Investment Council

The Newark Workforce Development Board also facilitates the Newark One-Stop Partners Committee.