"A New Approach to Federal Job Training"

Submitted by Gail Cope on Sun, 07/27/2014 - 16:30
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Hi all,

I came across a recent article on the Community College Daily website which describes a new approach that connects federal job training with available jobs.  The article also describes elements of a 'job-driven training checklist', many of which have already been implemented in workforce development programs and complement WIOA provisions. See an excerpt from the article below which highlights the checklist and provides a link to Vice President Biden's report (Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity) for improving job training programs: 

"On the same day that President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) — which reauthorizes federal job training legislation — Vice President Joe Biden released a report on improving job training programs that calls for closer relationships among workforce stakeholders, including better organization among federal agencies with training programs. The report also presents a “job-driven training checklist” to ensure quality programs offer a pathway to available jobs. That list includes:

  • Engaging employers to determine local hiring needs and designing training programs for those needs.
  • Offering work-based learning opportunities with employers — such as on-the-job training, internships and apprenticeships — that lead to employment.
  • Using data better to drive accountability, including providing user-friendly information for job seekers to select programs and pathways that work for them. 
  • Measuring and evaluating employment and earnings outcomes.
  • Promoting a seamless progression across work-based training and education.
  • Coordinating employers, education and training providers, economic development agencies and other public and private entities to better leverage resources."

To access the full article, follow this link:  http://ccdaily.com/Pages/Funding/fed-grants.aspx

What are your thoughts on these elements?  What innovative workforce development programs are you familiar with that have already incorporated these elements?  

Gail Cope, SME, LINCS Program Management Group

 

Comments

I believe WIOA has the potential to better focus our efforts toward employment. Having the opportunity to move in a planned fashion for 2016 will give all programs an opportunity to imbue these changes programmatically. The one highlight for me is the standardization of data outcome cross the WIOA funded programs.