CA SB1401

Expands California Workforce Investment Board responsibilities to include alignment of education and workforce investment systems to meet 21st century economy needs and development of a well-educated, highly skilled workforce.

Requires the board to target resources to industry sectors and clusters providing economic security, leveraging state and federal funds to meet needs of strategic industry sectors and advance education and employment of students and workers.

Establishes California Industry Sector Initiative as cornerstone of state workforce plan to identify industry sectors and clusters, provide annual skills-gap analysis, and establish eligibility criteria for Workforce Investment Act training provider lists.

Requires annual identification of competitive and emergent industry sectors with economic importance to the state and regional economies, with consideration of local workforce investment board expertise in their respective areas.

Directs development of eligibility criteria for training provider lists based on relevance to strategic industry sectors, ability to plug skills gaps, job placement likelihood, and provider performance measures including completion rates, employment placement, and wage outcomes.