Workforce Development

The Job Market Slowdown Continues

The labor market likely continued to slow in September.

Good Jobs for Government Workers Improve Public Services

By maintaining fair working conditions for government workers, state and local policymakers can increase productivity, improve public outcomes, support stable revenues, and attract the next generation of public servants.

The Trump Administration Is Quietly Gutting Minimum Wage Protections for Millions of Workers

The administration has already cut minimum wage protections for hundreds of thousands of federal contract workers and halted plans to require companies to pay disabled workers at least $7.25 per hour; this Labor Day, it will advance plans to eliminate federal minimum wage protections for millions of child care and home care providers.

State Rideshare Collective Bargaining Policies Hold Great Promise

A state model will test whether a simpler path to a union and sectoral bargaining can build power for Uber and Lyft drivers and improve jobs in the industry.

Save the PMF Program or Risk Losing a Generation of Public Servants

In an op-ed published by Just Security, Andrew Miller and Kelly L. Razzouk discuss the importance of Presidential Management Fellows (PMF), a professional development program that the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate.

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act

The Child Care for Working Families Act would make child care more accessible and affordable, promote high-quality care options, and support child care workers.

How the Trump Administration’s DOGE Cuts Are Harming Women

A new analysis by the Center for American Progress shows DOGE has cut at least $3 billion in grants for research, education, and other programs that help women and girls—especially women of color.

Fact Sheet: 5 Ways Community Colleges Spur Workforce Development

Community colleges support and drive workforce development to foster a more skilled and competitive American labor force.

5 Ways Community Colleges Drive Workforce Development

Community colleges play a vital role in workforce development by offering accessible education, aligning programs with industry needs, providing upskilling opportunities, fostering local partnerships, and supporting lifelong learning for diverse populations.

Working-Class and College-Educated Voters Want New Progressive Economic Policies

Working-class and college-educated voters support progressive economic policies such as a higher minimum wage, stronger unions, higher taxes on the rich, greater public investment in infrastructure, and an expanded social safety net.

President Trump Says He Wants More U.S. Shipbuilding—Here’s How To Do It Well

To improve U.S. shipbuilding capacity, policymakers should learn from a successful shipbuilding program of the past, using public investment, guaranteed demand, and cooperation with the private sector to create good jobs and bolster competitiveness.

Congressional Republicans’ Proposed Budget Reconciliation Bill Imperils 4.4 Million Pell Grant Recipients

Proposed changes to Pell Grant eligibility could mean nearly two out of three recipients could lose some or all their federal grant aid and incur up to an additional total of $7,400 for a bachelor’s degree and $3,700 for an associate degree.

Betraying veterans on education: Congress is opening the gates for predators to profit

In an op-ed published by Stars and Stripes, Madison Weiss explains how congressional Republicans' plan to eliminate the 90/10 rule would open the door to deceptive college marketing schemes that target veterans.

How State Spending Can Create a Good Jobs Economy

In a report published by State Innovation Exchange (SiX), Karla Walter outlines six ways states can create a good jobs economy.

6 Ways Congress Can Advance Workforce Development

The 119th Congress should work to expand access to education and training opportunities and create good jobs for more American workers while meeting the needs of employers and the economy.

CAP Comments on Proposed Rule on Changes to National Apprenticeship System

The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration regarding the proposed rule to update regulations that address apprenticeship labor standards and the governance of the national apprenticeship system.

What State Lawmakers Could Do for Working-Class Americans

In an op-ed published by Governing, Karla Walter and David Madland describe tangible, proven strategies state policymakers can use to strengthen the power of the working class in their communities this year.

8 Ways States Can Build Worker Power

State lawmakers should act to strengthen workers’ power in the economy.

7 Ways State Lawmakers Can Build Public Sector Union Power

State lawmakers can adopt new policies to empower workers across the public sector to come together in strong unions, negotiate for fair pay and working conditions, and train the next generation for public service.

A Progressive Vision for Education in the 21st Century

This report encompasses key recommendations for strengthening the American education system across early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development.

Workforce Development State Strategies: A 50-State Scan of Best Practices From Recent Action

States can strengthen their workforces through fostering registered apprenticeships, establishing career pathways, providing supportive services, addressing demand in critical industries, and other measures.

Explaining Young Workers’ Support for Unions

Young workers today feel like they're starting from behind. For them, unions may be the answer to getting ahead.

Veterans face hidden dangers in online learning

In an op-ed published by Stars and Stripes, Stephanie Hall and co-author William Hubbard explain how the third-party contractors who manage virtual higher education programs take advantage of prospective students and can even undermine their GI Bill of Rights benefits.

In the Wake of Hurricane Helene, Congress Must Invest in Rebuilding Strong, Prosperous, and Climate-Resilient Communities

The Biden-Harris administration has rapidly mobilized disaster relief aid to Appalachia and other hard-hit areas. Congress must act quickly to deliver the funds required to rebuild communities that can prosper and withstand future climate disasters.

A worker-centered approach to policy in the era of AI

The Center for American Progress co-authored a report with the Economic Policy Institute on protecting workers in the era of artificial intelligence.

Project 2025 Would Undermine Registered Apprenticeship System and Put Corporations Over Workers

Instead of weakening apprenticeships, policymakers should invest more in the existing registered apprenticeship system, which benefits workers and employers alike.

WIOA Turns 10: The Next Decade of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Offshore Wind Development in Maine Is a Collaborative Effort

Building off the success of the Inflation Reduction Act, a coalition of labor unions, green nongovernmental organizations, and community leaders came together to advocate for the inclusion of strong labor standards in the build-out of offshore wind in Maine.

Unions Are Building a Clean Energy Future in Wisconsin

The Inflation Reduction Act has introduced key standards for high-quality jobs that include apprenticeships to unlock federal funding, and it’s changing lives and communities in Wisconsin.

New Samsung Semiconductor Plant in Taylor, Texas

An investment by Samsung, spurred by funding from the CHIPS and Science Act, will create a new semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas, to complement the company’s previous investment in chips in Austin, Texas.

Project 2025 Would Exploit Child Labor by Allowing Minors To Work in Dangerous Conditions With Fewer Protections

The elimination of protections for young workers, if enacted, would lead more children to work in dangerous workplaces such as factories and slaughterhouses—as well as increase the likelihood of injuries and death—to the benefit of greedy corporations.

Opinion: Baby boomers are retiring. Helping fill those work vacancies is government’s job

Veronica Goodman explains what a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) would look like and why it’s needed right now in an op-ed published in MarketWatch.

Recommendations for Reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

As WIOA turns 10, policymakers should reauthorize it to remake and prepare the U.S. federal workforce development system for the next decade.

2024 Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

It’s time for local policymakers to cement the Biden administration’s workforce gains

Karla Walter writes in Route Fifty about the need for policymakers to build on the Biden administration’s historic federal infrastructure investments, arguing that one of the best ways to cement these workforce gains is for local jurisdictions to strengthen their job quality standards.