Dear Members,
The Board of Directors, Officers and the 2018 Conference Planning Committee met recently in Cincinnati, Ohio. In an effort to continue to communicate board activities, especially in light of the rapid evolution taking place in the workforce profession, I’m pleased to provide the following highlights from our meetings.
New Membership Categories – One of the most exciting developments was the creation of new member categories. The new categories, outlined below, will take effect January 1, 2018.
Individual Membership
- Workforce Professional, formerly known as a full member;
- Senior Workforce Professional, individuals 62 years of age or older and/or members with 25 continuous years of IAWP membership, and
- Emeritus Workforce Professional, members 80 years of age or older.
- Lifetime Members – Existing Lifetime Members will continue “lifetime” membership status. However, new candidates for Lifetime Membership, must have been an active member for at least 25 years. Lifetime Membership is bestowed upon former International President’s, without the active membership requirement.
Organizational Membership – The board approved a new organizational category of membership. This will allow workforce boards, colleges, grantees and other workforce partners to join IAWP in an organizational capacity. We’re currently preparing marketing materials to have this ready to launch on January 1, 2018. This will hopefully open many doors in terms of membership, educational programs conference sponsorship’s and partnerships.
Dues Adjustment – It has been several years since IAWP dues increased and with inflation and the cost of providing programs and services rising, a dues increase was necessitated. Beginning January 1, 2018, dues will be $60 for Workforce Professionals and $50 for Senior Workforce Professionals. However, to honor our longest serving members:
- There will be no dues charged to Emeritus Workforce Professionals.
- Both Senior and Emeritus Workforce Professionals will continue to receive discounted registration for the 2018 Workforce Development Conference.
- Current members may lock in the current rate for next year by submitting dues by December 31, 2017.
Please see additional information on Senior Workforce Professional (formerly Retiree) dues increase here.
Anniversary Date Renewal- Another change is the move from a calendar date membership renewal cycle to an anniversary date renewal. This means instead of all dues expiring on the same date each year, annual membership renewals are due on the anniversary of the date a member joins or joined.
Membership Growth – One of our most pressing needs is to increase membership. Maintaining our model of a low dues rate is dependent upon participation by a large number of members. The current member-get-a-member campaign was discussed along with other membership initiatives. Meeting participants were urged to take an active role in recruiting new members.
New Awards Program – The board approved supporting documentation for a new awards program. There are three new awards:
- Innovation in Workforce Development
- Service to IAWP, and
- Chapter Excellence
The new awards process is much simpler and focuses on achievement, innovation and making a positive difference. The new awards program will take effect for the 2017 contest year. Chapters may want to update awards to match the changes. Here’s the link to the new guidebook.
Updates to WPDP – Updates to the Workforce Professional Development Program (WPDP) were presented and discussed. First it was announced that additional states have incorporated the program into their overall staff training initiatives. Secondly, the board discussed a recent update to the program that incorporates the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Finally, the board learned that the manual process of delivering the program will be incorporated into a new Learning Management System that will simplify and automate many of the functions, benefiting both students and IAWP.
New Association Management System – To better serve members and to operate the association more effectively, we are implementing a new Association Management System (AMS). The new service will aide in managing memberships, educational programs, certifications, continuing education credits, program registration, an online product store, financial management, and much more.
Chapter Affiliation Agreements – Chapters are a vital part of the IAWP and the Board wants to focus on a consistent way international and chapters can work together. To do so, the Board approved a new chapter affiliation agreement, which is a document that establishes parameters for maintaining an active chapter. Over the next few weeks, I’ll distribute information to each chapter president and follow up with calls to discuss.
2018 Workforce Development Conference – The Cincinnati meetings were held at the site of the 2018 Workforce Development Conference giving IAWP leaders an opportunity to explore the conference hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic places. To say the least, most everyone was surprised by the Hilton Netherland Plaza and all that Cincinnati has to offer. International conferences have operated at a loss for several years and I’m happy to report that steps were taken to better manage costs while keeping registration fees far below what other professional associations typically charge. Speaker selection is underway and conference and hotel registration information will be available soon. The conference is set for June 17-20, 2018.
Governing Documents – The Board approved new Standing Rules and Policies and is in the process of reviewing new bylaws to replace the current bylaws. Although our bylaws have served the association well, they have not been thoroughly reviewed and revised for some time. The board plans to vote in December on whether to send the new bylaws to the membership for a vote. Please contact your District Director with questions and I’m also available to respond.
Questions and Answers
Here are some answers to questions. Please submit your questions here
It was great to see the Board working together and making important, and sometimes difficult, decisions to serve member needs and remain relevant in a rapidly evolving profession.
Thank you for your support and dedication to IAWP and the workforce profession.
Regards,
Steve
Steve Bent,CAE
Executive Director
International Association of Workforce Professionals