On Wednesday, June 12, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on Capitol Hill regarding the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
While no comprehensive WIOA bill has yet been unveiled in the Senate, several “placeholder” bills have been introduced, including:
Takeaway: Workforce development boards need to effectively tell their story to lawmakers.
Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) emphasized addressing re-entry efforts for justice-involved individuals. He argued that rates of recidivism could be lower with the right supportive services and availability of quality training programs authorized by WIOA.
Question: Has your Workforce Development Board worked with justice-involved populations/systems? If so, please tell us more.
While a training mandate was not referenced specifically, Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) argued that a greater share of WIOA funding should be going to training. He cited eight million job openings, low labor force participation rates, and only 200,000 individuals completing training each year.
Takeaway: Workforce development boards need to demonstrate and quantify their impact, including how and in what ways local boards help meet the unique needs of their communities.
Bonus Takeaway: Sen. Cassidy asked one witness, “Is it true that once you figure out one [workforce] board, you’ve figured out all boards?” The answer: Workforce boards are uniquely designed based on local needs of businesses and jobseekers.
Witness Lisa Bly-Jones, CEO of the Chicago Jobs Coalition (CJC), testified that WIOA funding is not commensurate with need. NAWB has called for at least a 5% increase to meet growing demands.
Takeaway: How well do we calculate and communicate the needs in our communities? What specifically would your Workforce Development Board be able to do if WIOA funding increased?
The hearing highlighted the importance of services like transportation, childcare, uniforms, and addressing mental health, trauma, substance abuse, and homelessness. Witnesses emphasized that “getting the job” is less critical than “keeping the job.”
Chairman Sanders noted that automation could put 39 million jobs at risk by 2030. Workforce Development Boards must adapt to these changes and explore how AI can improve operations.
Question: Is your Workforce Development Board discussing this?
Improved state and local data infrastructure, along with better access to wage data, are needed.
Takeaway: NAWB will launch a series of surveys—please complete them to help accurately reflect the work of Workforce Development Boards.
The hearing highlighted the more than 1.1 million young people who are neither working nor in school, with senators praising programs like YouthBuild.
Takeaway: Communicate how your board works with programs focused on Opportunity Youth populations.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) discussed Utah’s 1997 workforce model, combining workforce and social assistance into a block grant. Republicans are considering waivers to allow other states to adopt similar models.
Takeaway: Advocate at the state level about your Workforce Development Board’s role.
Next week, NAWB Board members will meet with Congress in Washington DC.
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