The Workforce Investment Act, enacted in 1998, is due for an update, according to the
National League of Cities.
Legislators who agree have submitted the Workforce Investment Act of 2012, an effort to modernize the 1998 law after a period of dramatic change in the workplace.
Among many promising updates, the 2012 bill would create partnerships with in-demand sector employers, community colleges, labor organizations and non-profits, making it easier for local programs to help workers acquire skills and training in high-growth industries such as health care, transportation, and advanced manufacturing.
The bill would also establish a competitive grant program to support the development and expansion of new strategies, including career pathways, sector partnerships and regional approaches. And it would allow workforce areas to provide youth with multiple pathways to success, including summer employment, internships, pre-apprenticeship programs, on-the-job training and service activities.
Read a full analysis of the 2012 Workforce Investment Reauthorization Act here.
Source: National League of Cities
Writer: Amy Elliott Bragg