Workforce Development

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.

Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

2024 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.

Fact Sheet: Using Modular Building To Increase Affordable Housing Stock

Modular building could reduce construction costs, making building new homes more affordable.

Communities That Lost Manufacturing Jobs Are Main Beneficiaries of Biden Administration’s New Industrial Policy

New analysis finds that private investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act are being announced in the communities that have been hit hardest by disinvestment in American manufacturing.

Construction of Tennessee EV Battery Facility Highlights Promises and Challenges of Biden Administration Policies

Tennessee’s BlueOval City electric vehicle battery facility shows how public investments can lead to good union jobs, but anecdotal evidence suggests that workers are not connecting these jobs to important economic policies.

Government on Workers’ Side

State and local policymakers can raise standards for workers and the public through prevailing wages, project labor agreements, and several other best practices.

Patrick Gaspard’s Statement for the Senate AI Insight Forum on Workforce

Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, attended Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's Senate Artificial Intelligence Insight Forum on Workforce in November 2023; his statement at the event addressed the challenges and opportunities of AI, and he urged Congress to act.

Community Violence Intervention: Juan Avila and Garden Pathways

Juan Avila, chief operating officer at Garden Pathways, recounts the impact mentoring made on the life of one participant in a life-or-death situation.

Collapsed I-95 Bridge Is Rebuilt by Union Workers

After the collapse of the I-95 bridge, government funding and union trade workers came together to rebuild the infrastructure faster than anyone predicted.

House Republican Budget Threatens Public Education and Opportunity for Young People

House Republican leadership’s proposed funding bill would vastly cut support for economically disadvantaged students and eliminate important programs in the K-12 education, youth workforce development, and higher education spheres.

Bidenomics en acción: una visión económica mejor para latinos

En una página de opinión en El Tiempo Latino, Gaby Blanco explica cómo las legislaciones económicas de la administración de Biden van a beneficiar a la comunidad latina en los Estados Unidos.

5 Reasons Automakers Must Provide Good Jobs and Lower Vehicle Emissions

In the face of demands for better jobs and stronger health protections, some automakers claim they can’t improve job quality and lower vehicle emissions—but they have the resources to support middle-class-led economic growth and clean up their vehicle fleets.

The Business Case for Good Jobs

Jobs that include employee training and good working conditions have higher worker productivity and lower operational costs associated with turnover, boosting firm profitability and economic growth.

Opinion: Big Three automakers need to step up for the workers who keep them profitable

In a MarketWatch op-ed, Mike Williams argues why the Big Three automakers need to work with the UAW to do right by autoworkers and to help fight against climate change.

Investing in Workers Can Further Ease Inflation and Boost Economic Growth

By making it easier for more people to enter and stay in work, policymakers can help ease inflationary pressures over the medium term and grow the middle class.

How Project Labor Agreements and Community Workforce Agreements Are Good for the Biden Administration’s Investment Agenda

Project labor agreements and community workforce agreements are time-tested tools that can support good value and good jobs on projects funded by the new federal economic investments.