Arkansas’s new combined workforce plan has federal sign-off, and state projections put Southeast Arkansas at the bottom of the heap for job growth. The U.S. Department of Labor approved the state’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) plan, folded together with the Perkins V career-and-technical-education plan for the first time, according to the state Division of Workforce Services on Sept. 3.
The regional numbers. KVOM reported that the Southeast Arkansas Workforce Development Area (Jefferson, Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Grant and Lincoln counties) is projected to lose a net 1,817 jobs between 2022 and 2032, the largest projected drop of any workforce region in the state. Even so, the same projections show roughly 8,294 openings a year, most of them from workers retiring or switching jobs rather than from new positions.
Where jobs are heading. Per KVOM, healthcare support is expected to add about 271 jobs and social assistance about 258, while paper manufacturing could lose 568 and office and administrative support about 708.
What changes. Under the approved plan, the state says it will move to a single statewide planning area, with the Arkansas Workforce Development Board taking over the duties of local boards and Arkansas Workforce Connections handling service delivery. Officials expect to redirect about $6 million from overhead to direct services. Implementation is anticipated July 1, 2027.
What it means locally: the plan is a framework, not a promise of any particular employer or job. Residents can check with local workforce offices and training providers for programs and eligibility.
Sources: KVOM (Sept. 4); Arkansas Division of Workforce Services (Sept. 3).
