OWS is heading into its fifth year of strategizing with CT Regional Sector Partnerships. We are so grateful for the support of Governor Ned Lamont, CT Governor's Workforce Council, Ryan Drajewicz (GWC Chair) Kelli-Marie Vallieres, PhD, CT industry and support partners in making the 4th Annual RSP convening as success.
6/22/2026
(HARTFORD, CT) –Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is inviting municipal leaders and employees from towns and cities throughout Connecticut to participate in a webinar his office is co-sponsoring to announce the launch of the Connecticut Service-to-Career Pathways Toolkit, a resource developed for municipalities that provides tools regarding the best practices for training, recruiting, and retaining opportunity youth and encouraging them to seek careers in public service.
4/24/2026
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Marcia LaFemina, president of Penn Globe and leader of MATCH (Manufacturing Alliance for Community Training and Hire), has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Connecticut Workforce Champion Award for her exceptional leadership in advancing the state’s manufacturing sector and expanding equitable workforce opportunities.
3/19/2026
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS) will spearhead the state’s implementation of the new federal Workforce Pell Grants. This initiative marks a significant expansion of financial aid, allowing low-income students to access grants for short-term, career-focused training programs.
The announcement highlights a pivotal step in making high-demand career pathways more accessible to working adults and other non-traditional learners, while simultaneously addressing the state’s need for skilled talent.
“Enabling students to take full advantage of this funding will require significant coordination among public agencies, higher education institutions, K-12, training programs, and employers,” Governor Lamont said. “The Office of Workforce Strategy, under the leadership of Chief Workforce Officer Kelli-Marie Vallieres, will ensure smooth and effective implementation of this highly complex student funding source.”
by Colleen Connolly, March 4, 2026
"The Big Idea: When Vallieres became chief workforce officer in 2020, she took the idea behind the manufacturing initiative and expanded it to other industries across the state. The resulting program, Career ConneCT, promises job seekers that they can earn the skills they need in four to 24 weeks with the help of a career coach. They also exit the program with an industry-recognized credential, many of which can stack toward a degree. With $70M in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to back the program, it’s the largest investment the state has ever made in short-term credentials."
"Amid federal funding uncertainty, CT launches updated strategic workforce development plan; calls for AI tech talent accelerator, new training loan program."
May 19, 2025
The CT Office of Workforce Strategy team members Tracy Ariel, Michelle Fuhrman and Kristina Testa-Buzzee, EdD represented State of Connecticut - Office of the Governor at the third U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge convening organized by Jobs for the Future and the EDA.
This week the CT Office of Workforce Strategy begins highlighting the great work being done by the State of Connecticut #GoodJobsChallenge grantees.
