Alabama Workforce Secretary Greg Reed named Franklin Johnson as the new chief of the department’s Workforce Pathways Division on Wednesday.
“Franklin Johnson brings a wealth of experience to this newly created role, and I’m pleased to have him on board,” said Reed in a written statement. “As we work to navigate our new workforce mission, I believe Franklin will provide positive leadership and strategic growth.”
The Alabama Department of Workforce’s Workforce Pathways Division was created by the legislature in 2024, through the “Alabama Workforce Transformation Act,” a piece of the “Working for Alabama” legislative package.
The act consolidated all department “workforce development functions and workforce funding mechanisms” into the Workforce Pathways Division, stating the division will “serve as the centralized data and information repository for the workforce development activities of the state.”
“I am honored to be named Chief of the Alabama Workforce Development Division. I am incredibly excited to serve the state in this role and working with the many stakeholders involved with workforce development in Alabama,” Johnson said. “A robust workforce is a vital component to a vibrant economy. I have a lot to learn, but I look forward to helping the department relentlessly pursue its mission.”
The Department of Workforce wrote that Johnson, as chief of the division, “will oversee the functions of the department focusing on workforce development, including employment services, labor market information, apprenticeships, and STEM training.”
“The role will involve extensive legal, policy, and government affairs components, liaising with the governor’s office, other elected officials, and legislators, as well as related stakeholders,” the department wrote.
Johnson is a lawyer who has worked as in-house counsel for Alabama REALTORS for over eight years. He formerly served in the Governor’s Office as deputy legal counsel and as deputy chief of staff.
Johnson obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Alabama School of Law.
Department programs governed by Johnson’s division include the Alabama Workforce Board, regional workplace boards, the Alabama Career Center System’s employment service, the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship, the Alabama STEM council, the Office of Education and Workplace Statistics, the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways, and the Alabama Committee on Credential Quality and Transparency.
