Gov. Ned Lamont announced the establishment of a new state office dubbed the Connecticut Workforce Unit, which will be led by manufacturing CEO Kelli-Marie Vallieres.
Vallieres, who also serves as co-chair of the Governor’s Workforce Council, said on Tuesday that she resigned her position as CEO of Sound Manufacturing and Monster Power Equipment in Old Saybrook, with her husband taking the reins at the sister companies.
The workforce development unit will be working very closely with the Governor’s Workforce Council on developing a statewide plan to [promote] workforce development,” Vallieres said.
The new office is under the auspices of the Department of Economic and Community Development. Vallieres starting salary is $160,000, she said.
In a statement, Lamont said Vallieres’ office will collaborate with DECD, and the Department of Labor to advise the governor and other state officials on workforce strategies and initiatives. It will work with educators, businesses and other stakeholders to develop policies, programs and curricula that are accessible to residents, and teach skills employers need in employees.
“Kelli brings a wealth of institutional knowledge about Connecticut’s workforce, leadership experience in both business and academia, and a passion for working alongside industry and education,” Lamont said.
Vallieres, who was a finalist for the state chief manufacturing officer position ultimately given to Colin Cooper, said a large focus of the office will be expanding on successful regional workforce development programs.
“We have… some amazing programs that happen in different regions, and we want to take those best practices, and scale them across the state,” said Vallieres, who has also served as a board member at the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Board.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has hit Connecticut’s economy hard, Vallieres said it really doesn’t change the state’s big-picture workforce needs, and that these needs must be addressed.
“The intermediate and long-term needs of industry are still there, so we still need to grow manufacturing jobs, health care jobs, IT jobs,” Vallieres said.
