(1) In accordance with the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, there shall be established, for each of the four (4) state workforce areas prescribed in Section 37-153-3 (2)(c), a local workforce investment board to set policy for the portion of the state workforce investment system within the local area and carry out the provisions of the Workforce Investment Act.

(2) Each community college district shall have an affiliated District Workforce Development Council. The district council shall be composed of a diverse group of fifteen (15) persons appointed by the board of trustees of the affiliated public community or junior college. The members of each district council shall be selected from persons recommended by the chambers of commerce, employee groups, industrial foundations, community organizations and local governments located in the community college district of the affiliated community college with one (1) appointee being involved in basic literacy training. However, at least eight (8) members of each district council shall be chief executive officers, plant managers that are representatives of employers in that district or service sector executives. The District Workforce Development Council affiliated with each respective community or junior college shall advise the president of the community or junior college on the operation of its workforce development center/one-stop center.

(a) To develop an integrated and coordinated district workforce investment strategic plan that:

(i) Identifies workforce investment needs through job and employee assessments of local business and industry;

(ii) Sets short-term and long-term goals for industry-specific training and upgrading and for general development of the workforce; and

(iii) Provides for coordination of all training programs, including ABE/High School Equivalency Diploma, Skills Enhancement and Industrial Services, and shall work collaboratively with the State Literacy Resource Center;

(b) To coordinate and integrate delivery of training as provided by the workforce development plan;

(c) To assist business and industry management in the transition to a high-powered, quality organization;

(d) To encourage continuous improvement through evaluation and assessment; and

(e) To oversee development of an extensive marketing plan to the employer community.