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DWS director to step into judgeship as agency readies training budget and MIS soft launch
Summary
Department of Workforce Services Director announced she will leave for a district‑court judgeship in March; agency staff told the council the governor is vetting successors while DWS presses ahead on a JAAC‑approved budget package, training requests and a planned MIS 'soft launch.'
Chair Fabian Laera opened the Department of Workforce Services Workforce Development Council on Jan. 18, where members heard that the agency’s director has been appointed to a district‑court judgeship and will remain in agency leadership through the current legislative session.
Director Robin Kolie told the council she has met with the governor and expects to begin the judgeship on March 17. “I will be here through the session … I am available, I’m ready to help,” she said, asking council members to reach out with questions during the transition.
The council also received an update on the agency’s budget. Staff reported the Joint Appropriations Committee passed DWS’s request with amendments; DWS had sought roughly $10 million for statewide training programs and the governor recommended about $8 million. Agency leaders said JAAC approved several position requests and restored some service dollars that had been at risk.
On technology, DWS staff described a planned soft launch of a new management information system and labor exchange. Christina West, who leads onestop operations, said the public go‑live will include the labor exchange and job‑posting functions, with later phases adding case‑management modules. She asked council members to test the site after the soft launch and to report user feedback.
Council members pressed staff on two practical risks: whether the new system would require employers to re‑register and whether federal grant rules could limit DWS’s ability to require training recipients to work in Wyoming. Directors said DWS pulled data from the old system where possible and will provide additional implementation details after the Monday soft launch; they also said federal rules constrain mandatory retention requirements, so DWS will rely on workforce‑center connections to encourage local placement.
What’s next: staff will notify council members about the MIS soft launch and provide follow‑up guidance about employer registration and data transfer. The governor’s office is continuing succession work for the director role; agency leaders said they aim to keep operations steady during the change of leadership.
