Celebrating Bob Knight: Founder, Builder, and Lion of the Workforce Ecosystem

Posted on by Grace Moster

There are leaders who serve a system—and then there are leaders who build one.

As Bob Knight enters retirement, NAWB honors a career that helped shape the workforce ecosystem as we know it today. Bob is the founder of NAPIC—the National Association of Private Industry Councils—which later became the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Across decades, his work strengthened the bridge between public purpose and private-sector leadership, and helped the nation move toward a more coordinated, customer-centered workforce system.
And while Bob will be enjoying well-earned travel in retirement, we’re grateful he will still spend some time supporting the field through periodic work with Equus Workforce Solutions, where he has served as Director of Government Relations and Workforce Policy.
From PICs to workforce boards: helping build the modern system
To understand Bob’s legacy, you have to understand what the nation asked of workforce leaders over the last 40+ years.
In the era of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), Private Industry Councils (PICs) were designed to bring employer leadership directly into the governance of job training. PICs became a cornerstone of local service delivery—anchoring oversight, strategy, and accountability with business at the table.
Bob didn’t just support that vision—he organized it, amplified it, and made it sustainable by founding NAPIC as a national voice and learning community for PIC leaders.
Then came the next major evolution: the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which replaced JTPA and advanced the One-Stop system and local boards. Later, WIOA  updated and reauthorized the system again—strengthening alignment across programs and reinforcing the role of local boards in connecting talent and opportunity.
Through these transitions, Bob’s fingerprints are everywhere in the ideas that endured:
A policy leader with real field credibility
Bob’s credibility didn’t come only from titles—it came from lived experience across the full policy-to-practice pipeline.
Equus describes Bob as a leading expert in workforce development, welfare-to-work, and youth employment policy, with experience that includes service as a professional staff member for a U.S. Senate subcommittee, and as President & CEO of NAWB.
And as many workforce professionals can attest, Bob’s influence is also personal: he has been a teacher to the field—generous with context, history, and practical guidance, and committed to preparing the next generation of leaders.
The scale of the legacy: boards, businesses, and millions of lives
NAWB today champions the mission of more than 570 local and State workforce development boards across the United States and its territories—boards that convene partners, support employers, and help job seekers access training and employment pathways.
That national network exists in part because Bob believed local leaders deserved:
And the system those boards help lead is vast: federal workforce services operate through a nationwide network of around 3,000 One-Stop centers, connecting people to training, credentials, and jobs.
When we say Bob’s work has impacted thousands of businesses and millions of job seekers, we’re not using poetic license—we’re describing the real scale of a national infrastructure he helped build and strengthen.
A reflection from NAWB CEO Andrew Bercich
Andrew Bercich, CEO of NAWB, shared “Bob Knight, who I count as a mentor and friend, didn’t just witness the evolution of the workforce system… he helped author it. From the earliest days of NAPIC to the national influence of NAWB, Bob championed business-led, community-rooted solutions that kept opportunity within reach. His legacy lives in every board convening employers around talent needs, and in every job seeker who found a pathway forward because Bob insisted the system could deliver better—smarter, more humane, and more accountable.”
Retirement—without stepping away from the mission
Bob is retiring, yes—but he is not disappearing.
As he looks forward to travel and a new season of life, we’re grateful he will remain part of the workforce family through occasional support to Equus Workforce Solutions at various events and conferences.
Thank you, Bob
Bob Knight helped build the architecture of modern workforce development—and more importantly, he helped build the belief that workforce systems can be a force for dignity, mobility, and shared prosperity.
From all of us at NAWB: thank you, Bob. Congratulations on retirement, and we can’t wait to see where your travels take you next.

A Note to Nawb Members and Partners: Stability Matters for the Workforce System

Posted on by Grace Moster

Yesterday, congressional leaders announced a bipartisan agreement on the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. For the public workforce system, the most important takeaway is a welcome one: WIOA Title I funding will remain very close to FY 2025 levels.
After a year marked by uncertainty, that stability matters.

Over the past several months, workforce boards across the country have been doing their level best to plan against the backdrop of an unusually volatile environment. We have navigated a President’s budget that proposed deep reductions to workforce investments, alongside House proposals that raised serious concerns about the future of core formula programs. Our system was not waiting to react to the potential for funding cuts as we noted in our November 2025 report A System Under Strain: New Survey Reveals the Impact of Funding Uncertainty on Workforce Boards, indeed boards were making sometimes difficult cuts proactively and finding efficiencies wherever possible. Against that backdrop, the decision to adopt the Senate’s funding levels provides much-needed certainty and preserves the foundation of the public workforce system.

At the national level, WIOA formula funding will be approximately $10 million lower than FY 2025. That modest reduction is limited to the Adult program, while Youth and Dislocated Worker funding remain level. While no reduction is ideal, particularly at a time when local systems are facing rising costs and growing demand, this outcome avoids far more disruptive cuts and maintains the core structure that our communities rely on.

In practical terms:
-Adult Activities will see a small decrease
-Youth Activities will remain flat-funded
-Dislocated Worker programs will remain flat-funded

This level of stability allows workforce boards to continue serving employers, supporting jobseekers, responding to rapidly changing labor market conditions and adapting to a technological environment that changes by the day. It preserves capacity at a moment when flexibility and responsiveness are essential.

It is also important to remember that national funding levels do not automatically translate into local allocations. Once the bill is enacted, the Department of Labor will apply statutory formulas using updated economic data to determine state allotments, followed by local allocations within each state. Because those formulas are driven by relative unemployment and disadvantaged population data, local impacts will vary.

That reality underscores why NAWB continues to emphasize two core principles: flexibility and local control.

Workforce boards operate closest to their communities. They understand local labor markets, regional employers, and the unique barriers facing jobseekers in their areas. Preserving flexibility in how funds are used, and ensuring decisions remain locally driven, is what allows the workforce system to deliver the most meaningful results.

We are grateful for the bipartisan agreement that provides stability after a challenging year, and we view this outcome as a solid foundation as conversations continue around FY 2027 funding and broader workforce policy. At the same time, NAWB will continue to advocate on behalf of our members for policies that strengthen, rather than constrain, the public workforce system.

Stability is not the finish line… but it is a necessary starting point.

As the bill continues to progress through the final steps of enactment, we will continue to monitor and keep you informed.

National Association of Workforce Boards Appoints Andrew Bercich as Chief Executive Officer

Posted on by Grace Moster

Washington, D.C., January 5th, 2026 — The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) today announced the appointment of Andrew Bercich as its new Chief Executive Officer. Bercich brings deep institutional knowledge of NAWB and the nation’s workforce system, having served on the organization’s Board of Directors for 11 years, including a term as Board Chair.

Bercich was appointed by NAWB’s Board of Directors and will lead the organization at a pivotal moment for the workforce system, as workforce boards play an increasingly critical role in shaping the future of work amid rapid technological and economic change.

“Andrew’s long-standing commitment to NAWB, combined with his experience across every level of the workforce system, make him uniquely suited to lead the organization forward,” said Al Searles, Chair of NAWB’s Board of Directors. “His ability to see the system from multiple stakeholder perspectives will strengthen NAWB’s value to members and elevate our voice nationally.”

“I’m deeply honored to step into the role of CEO at NAWB,” said Bercich. “I’m grateful to the Board of Directors for their trust and for the opportunity to serve an organization that sits at the center of our nation’s workforce system. Having worked across the system—as a board member, employer partner, operator, and consultant, I’ve seen what’s possible when we align strategy with execution. I’m excited to help elevate NAWB’s standing, strengthen the value we deliver to members, and ensure the workforce system is leading, not following, the changes ahead.”

In addition to his service with NAWB, Bercich has served on multiple local workforce development boards and as a member of the Colorado Workforce Development Council, providing him with experience across the local, state, and national workforce system.

Over the past 25 years, Bercich has also worked as a private sector talent leader, partnering with dozens of local workforce areas nationwide to meet hiring needs. As a consultant, he has served as a one-stop operator and advised workforce boards on strategy and system design, experience that gives him a unique perspective across employers, boards, operators, and jobseekers.

NAWB represents the nation’s workforce development boards, which serve as conveners of employers, education and training providers, and community partners to connect jobseekers with opportunity and help businesses access skilled talent.

Bercich assumes the role effective January 5th, 2026.

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For more information about NAWB, visit nawb.org.

A Note to NAWB Members and Partners: Leading Together Into The Future of Workforce

Posted on by Grace Moster

I’m honored to step into the role of CEO of the National Association of Workforce Boards, and I want to start by saying thank you.

Thank you to the NAWB Board of Directors for the trust they’ve placed in me, and to our members and partners across the country for the work you do every day. Workforce boards are doing some of the most important work in our economy and our communities, and I don’t take lightly the responsibility of serving this network.

Many of you know me already. I’ve had the privilege of serving on the NAWB Board for more than a decade, including as Chair. I’ve also served on local workforce boards and on the Colorado Workforce Development Council, and I’ve spent time in the system as a consultant and one-stop operator.

For most of my career, I’ve also worked in the private sector leading corporate talent organizations with as many as 350 Recruiters, along the way partnering with dozens of workforce boards and local areas across the country to meet hiring needs in diverse fields from advanced manufacturing to healthcare and most recently in the Generative AI space. But I was lucky, after spending most of my career on the demand side of workforce, I was able to pivot and follow my passion for workforce, becoming a consultant to boards and ecosystem partners, helping design and execute strategies, study the culture of high-performing regions and become more involved in day-to-day operations of our AJCs. I’ve seen this system from a myriad of different angles—employer, board member, one-stop operator, strategy consultant—and that range of perspective shapes how I think about NAWB’s role and our opportunity.

When we are at our best, the workforce system is proactive and deeply connective. We bring employers, educators, community organizations, and workers together to solve real problems and create real opportunities. Workforce boards are uniquely positioned to do that work, not on the sidelines of economic and technological change, but right at the center of it.

We’re living through a period of real change. Technology, demographics, geopolitics, and shifting expectations about work are all reshaping how jobs are created, how skills are valued, and how people move through careers. These changes aren’t abstract — they’re already showing up in your communities and in conversations you’re having every day.

NAWB’s role at this moment is clear: to help ensure workforce boards aren’t just navigating change but helping shape what comes next.

That means continuing to elevate the voice and value of workforce boards nationally. It means strengthening NAWB as a place for shared learning, influence, and innovation. And it means making sure policy, practice, and investment decisions reflect what actually works on the ground.

In the near term, my focus is on listening and learning and turning that into action. I want to hear from members about what’s working well, where things feel hard, and where NAWB can be more helpful. I want to deepen relationships with our partners across government, industry, education, and philanthropy. And I want NAWB to continue showing up as a trusted, practical, and forward-looking leader in the workforce ecosystem.

A big part of that is our annual Forum. It’s our flagship convening and one of the places where the NAWB community really comes together. I want it to continue to be a space where people connect, learn from one another, and help set direction for where the system is headed.

Looking a bit further ahead, I’ll work closely with our Board to take what we’re hearing from members, partners, funders, policymakers, and employers and turn it into a clearer, longer-term strategy for NAWB, especially as we head toward our 50th anniversary in 2029.

As always, the strength of NAWB comes from its members. My commitment is to lead in partnership with you, to be honest about the challenges ahead, ambitious about what’s possible, and grounded in what it takes to make things work. A core part of that commitment is being a strong, consistent voice for workforce boards in Washington and beyond.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I’m energized by the work ahead. I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of NAWB — and the future of our workforce system — together. And I look forward to meeting you at the Forum in Las Vegas this March.

Andrew Bercich
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of Workforce Boards

LERs Gain Bipartisan Traction in Congress: Key Takeaways from the Talent Marketplace Hearing

Posted on by Grace Moster

Learning & Employment Records (LERs) arrived this week at the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development for a formal hearing entitled Building a Talent Marketplace: How LERs Empower Workers and Expand Opportunity. The hearing demonstrated significant bipartisan interest and potential support for LER adoption.

A distinguished panel addressed the committee emphasizing the importance of skills data measurement and collection. Alex Kaplan, American Association of College Registrars and Admission Officers, concisely stated the current situation, “I can’t overemphasize the importance of arriving at a set of standards and protocols that allow for the interoperability to occur—this will reduce the cost for everybody, and it will accelerate the adoption of them [LERs].” Providing a specific example, Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors University, spoke of WGU’s prototype that evolved into the Indiana Achievement Wallet, “Now available to nearly 2.5 million students, alumni, and employees, our LER platform is designed to be student-centric, skills-rich, and provide pathfinding and career exploration from day one!”

For 43 million Americans with some college, Greg DiDonato, EBSCO Information Services, shared the potential impact “…with effective LERs, these individuals can demonstrate the skills they already have, even without completing a degree. Workers in declining industries can identify transferable skills that may allow them to enter a growing sector.”

Scott Cheney, Credential Engine, summed up his view on LinkedIn following the hearing, “This is a very bi-partisan issue, and I’m excited to see whatever legislation will be introduced as a result.” Scott thanked Chairman Owens for holding the hearing and being a visionary champion on this issue. He specifically acknowledged Chairman Owens for championing the issue, as well as the participation of full committee Chairman Walberg and Ranking Member Scott.

Where are Workforce Boards in this conversation? NAWB has been on this journey for several years, sharing resources with our members. We appreciate the contributions of our funder, community of practice, skills advisory group, and contractors. We hope this momentum will enhance coordination and progress. Most importantly, we urge workforce boards to embrace LERs and actively join this critical national dialogue!

Full written testimonies can be found on the committee website.  https://edworkforce.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=412861

Building Capacity, Expanding Opportunity: The Workforce System’s Next Step in the Age of AI 

Posted on by Grace Moster

by Andrew Bercich, SummitWorX Solutions and Erica Greeley, National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) 

A Moment of Transformation 

The pace of technological change has never been faster, and few innovations have reshaped our world as quickly as generative artificial intelligence (AI). From automating complex data analysis to producing text, images, and code, generative AI is transforming how people learn, communicate, and create. 

For the workforce development system, this transformation presents both profound challenges and once-in-a-generation opportunities. As a system, we look to balance concerns about labor arbitrage and privacy, with the advantages of having the knowledge of the best professionals in every field at our fingertips.  

As workforce boards navigate declining funding, increasing demand for services, greater policy uncertainty and a labor market undergoing structural change, generative AI offers not just new tools but a new way of thinking about how we serve communities, employers, and jobseekers. 

Disruption and the Entry Level Challenge 

The impacts of AI are already being felt across the labor market, particularly in entry-level and routine roles that once served as critical gateways for young workers. 

A 2025 study from the Brookings Institution found that 85% of the U.S. workforce could see at least 10% of their tasks affected by generative AI, and 30% of workers could have 50% or more of their tasks affected.  

While these shifts raise understandable concern about job loss, they also point to a larger evolution in how work is done. The U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Trends and Outlooks Survey (BTOS) shows that 12% of businesses expect that generative AI will impact employment numbers, but interestingly, slightly more of those businesses expect employment to increase more than decrease. New opportunities are emerging in AI quality assurance, data annotation, prompt design, model training, and digital content management all of which depend on human judgment and creativity. But any change in employment, either increased reductions in staff or changing skills requirements, puts additional pressure on our system. 

Entry-level work has long been the foundation for skill development, social capital, and career mobility. A recent study by Stanford University found that employment declined ~13% for workers aged 22 – 25 in “AI-exposed” occupations. If those entry points decrease and training providers must find new ways to prepare individuals for the roles that AI will augment, not replace.  Boards will need to find new ways of engaging with these less experienced workers that need early-career opportunities to develop not just technical skills, but the core employability skills needed to be an effective worker in any organization or environment. 

The challenge—and opportunity—is to ensure that equitable access, inclusion, and skill relevance remain at the center of this change. 

For workforce boards themselves, generative AI offers an unexpected silver lining, a lifeline amid tightening budgets, growing demand for services, and an evolving labor market that increasingly values skills-based hiring. The productivity impact is measurable. PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer found that industries most exposed to AI experienced a fourfold increase in productivity growth, jumping from roughly 7% to 27% as adoption accelerated. Likewise, Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could increase global GDP by 7% while transforming or augmenting about 300 million jobs worldwide. 

Generative AI As a Strategic Lifeline 

AI tools can streamline administrative work by speeding up reporting and documentation. They can support data-driven decision-making by modeling the impact of a proposed board policy change, and they can enhance communication with both employers and job seekers by allowing more personalization and contextualization in messaging.  

Boards that are further on their AI journey are using it to assist with program design, grant writing and supporting One-Stop compliance and monitoring. Generative AI can draft outreach materials, summarize case notes, aid in interview preparation, and even help tailor resumes or job recommendations for participants. Nearly every aspect of a workforce operation has the capability to receive a productivity boost from AI if we have the right mindset to adopt and implement the technology in the right way. 

“AI is not a tool, but a whole new way of working. It’s one of the most important things that leaders need to think about in this AI transformation… a mind shift.” – Matthew Duncan, Head of Thought Leadership on the Future of Work,  Microsoft 

For boards facing tough tradeoffs, generative AI represents a way to do more with less, without compromising mission or impact and potentially delivering deeper impact when used effectively and responsibly. By leveraging AI strategically and ethically, workforce boards can shift capacity from routine tasks to higher-value human services: coaching, relationship-building, and program innovation. 

Building Capacity: A New Commitment from NAWB 

Recognizing this critical juncture, NAWB is taking bold steps to help the system not just adapt to AI but lead in its responsible use. 

In the coming months, NAWB will launch a suite of initiatives designed to build AI capacity across the national workforce system, including: 

  • AI-focused programming at The Forum, NAWB’s annual gathering of workforce professionals, featuring case studies, demonstrations, and conversations on the future of technology-enabled workforce delivery. 
  • Hands-on learning and technical assistance opportunities throughout 2026, including virtual events, regional workshops, and peer learning networks focused on real-world applications of AI in workforce operations. 
  • Advocating for policy that keeps workers, businesses, and funding at the forefront of lawmakers’ minds. As policies impact the direction of the labor market, NAWB will continue to sound the call that our communities and labor markets need funding to adapt to changing conditions. 

These initiatives will help workforce leaders understand what AI can do and how to do it right. Together with SummitWorX Solutions, NAWB is committed to ensuring that this evolution strengthens local boards’ capacity, rather than widening existing resource divides. 

A Call to Action for Workforce Leaders 

This is a defining moment for the public workforce system. Generative AI will not wait for us to catch up, and the cost of inaction is high. 

Workforce boards are uniquely positioned to translate innovation into inclusion. By combining their deep community connections with the transformative potential of generative AI, they can redesign service delivery, improve equity, and equip America’s workers for an economy where human and digital collaboration define success. 

As we began this post, the pace of change has never been faster, and the truth is, it will never be this slow again. By embracing this moment with purpose, strategy, and ethical commitment, workforce boards can ensure that AI becomes not a threat, but a tool for renewal, resilience, growth, and expanded opportunity. 

About the Authors 

SummitWorX Solutions partners with workforce boards, educational institutions, and public agencies to design forward-looking strategies for talent, technology, and community impact. SummitWorX Solutions’ Founder and CEO, Andrew Bercich, is the former Head of Talent Acquisition for Amazon’s Alexa and Artificial General Intelligence (Gen AI) organizations and is Past–Chair of NAWB. 

The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) represents and advocates for more than 550 workforce development boards nationwide.  Under the leadership of Acting CEO, Erica Greeley, who previously served as Vice President of Economic Mobility at Feeding America, and earlier held nonprofit leadership roles supporting networks, systems-change and economic opportunity, NAWB is deepening its focus on innovation, collaboration, and the responsible use of technology to strengthen the nation’s workforce ecosystem. 

A System Under Strain: New Survey Reveals the Impact of Funding Uncertainty on Workforce Boards

Posted on by Grace Moster

NAWB recently conducted a survey on the impacts of the federal government shutdown and ongoing funding uncertainty on workforce boards across the country. The survey results are presented in a new report, A System Under Strain: How Funding Uncertainty Harms Workforce Programs, and paint a candid picture of the challenges our system is facing.

While many workforce boards were forced to cut costs during the federal government shutdown, the ongoing funding uncertainty of workforce programs is having an even greater impact on operations.

Among the key findings:

  • Cost-cutting measures affect programs, staff, and planning. 64% of respondents reduced costs due to funding uncertainty, with actions including staff layoffs, site closures, reduced programs, hiring freezes, delayed payments, and cuts to travel or training.
  • Workforce boards saw an increase in customer demand. 40% of respondents reported changes in customer interaction due to the shutdown. They reported seeing increasing numbers of customers experiencing unemployment and food insecurity and noted that many expressed confusion or stress related to shifting government policies.
  • Workforce boards are raising their voices. More than 60% of respondents reached out to federal elected officials to share details of how the shutdown was impacting local communities.

These findings make one thing clear: the current funding environment is unsustainable. Workforce boards are being asked to do more with less, while navigating complex workforce trends and funding shortfalls.

The message to policymakers is urgent and direct. To ensure workforce boards can continue to deliver results, Congress must enact timely appropriations to avoid service disruptions; increase funding for Titles I and II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); reauthorize WIOA with strengthened local flexibility; and recognize workforce boards as essential infrastructure for economic resilience.

NAWB will continue to provide advocacy tools and templates and timely, actionable information on what’s happening in Washington, DC, while we advocate across the federal government for stronger workforce investments.