Community advocates told the City Council the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) annual plan should include explicit targets to ensure trainees leave programs with jobs that pay a self‑sufficiency wage and career pathways, not merely placement in high‑demand but low‑wage occupations.

Neda Maina of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Alliance urged the council to require a self‑sufficiency wage for participants during training and in job placements and to limit reliance on a broad "demand occupations" definition that could place trainees into temporary, low‑pay retail or food-service roles. The alliance asked for a policy report back within five weeks and a fuller policy recommendation to the Council Economic Development (CED) Committee within 90 days.

Councilmembers expressed support for closer council oversight of the new WIB structure (required by federal Workforce Investment Act), noting the council approves policy statements and plans even though the WIB is the operational body. Councilmember Mike Hernandez described instructions adopted by the council to require the general manager’s office to review the annual plan and report back, and requested that the report include policy options to promote wages and job quality. Councilmember Janice Goldberg (chair of Personnel) moved amendments requesting a report on the feasibility of a self‑sufficiency wage during training and post‑training and to consider targeting occupations that provide career advancement rather than simply demand.

The council approved the committee reports and Goldberg’s amendments, directing staff to return with an interim report within four weeks on self‑sufficiency options and a fuller evaluation in 90 days to CED. The council also approved associated personnel committee items that were on the same combined report.

Next steps: Workforce Development staff to prepare interim findings in four weeks and a full report to the CED committee in 90 days that will consider wage targets, training‑period stipends, and alternative targeting strategies to "demand occupations."