Washington, D.C. — Policymakers on the hill are preparing to modernize the primary piece of legislation that both funds and regulates the United States’ workforce development system. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was first passed in 2014 with overwhelmingly bipartisan support. Now, as WIOA turns 10, federal legislators should take this opportunity for reauthorization to ensure this law continues to effectively carry out its mission—training and connecting American workers with good, safe, sustainable jobs.
To that end, new analysis from the Center for American Progress provides policymakers with specific recommendations for WIOA reauthorization in a number of key policy buckets, including youth employment, equity in job access, data collection, and AI technology. The report suggests the following principles should ground these discussions in the right priorities:
- 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].