Policymakers are preparing to modernize the primary legislation that funds and regulates the United States' workforce development system. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), first passed in 2014 with bipartisan support, is approaching its 10th anniversary. Federal legislators are considering reauthorization to ensure the law continues to train and connect American workers with good, safe, sustainable jobs.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) has provided policymakers with specific recommendations for WIOA reauthorization in several key policy areas, including youth employment, equity in job access, data collection, and AI technology. The report suggests the following principles should guide these discussions:
- Centering workers
- Encouraging fair pay
- Providing support services
- Ensuring diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
- Promoting skills and career advancement
- Using evidence-based decision-making
- Prioritizing accountability
- Factoring in current technology
- Aligning with adjacent programs
“A reauthorization of WIOA presents policymakers with a powerful opportunity to reshape and rebuild our federal workforce development system for the next decade,” said Veronica Goodman, senior director for Workforce Development Policy at CAP and author of the report. “From youth to older workers and everyone in between, generations of Americans stand to benefit from the programs and opportunities offered by WIOA.”
Read the report: “Recommendations for Reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act” by Veronica Goodman.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Mishka Espey at [email protected].
