Workforce Training Legislation Advances In House

On  March 6, the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee passed the Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, H.R. 803, which will help reform the nation’s job training system by strengthening employer engagement in state and local workforce decisions, as well as giving states and localities more flexibility.  The bill was approved by the committee in a vote of 23-0, while all Democrats on the committee refused to offer a vote. AGC supports the bill because the construction industry is made up of predominantly small employers and in the past, many employers in the industry have had trouble connecting with local workforce investment systems or workforce investment boards (WIBs) due to the structure of the boards and types of training offered locally. However, the SKILLS Act will strengthen the presence and participation of employers on WIBs, and this increased participation by employers will be a welcomed change to the construction industry. Local employers can ensure that local job training will address workforce gaps and better fit local population needs. Under the SKILLS Act, Registered Apprenticeship programs – an important training system used by construction contractors – would be better aligned with WIBs as an approved training provider. Apprenticeship is a key program for successful construction industry workers and attracting new entrants to the industry which will become increasingly critical in the coming years as a heavy percentage of current workers retire and even more new workers will be needed as the economy recovers. AGC looks forward to working with Congress and ensuring barriers against construction training programs from partnering with local WIBs are removed, but also that these programs offer better access to basic skills training.  The bill is expected to now move to the House floor where it could receive a vote as early as next week. More information can be found on this website along with a letter of support AGC sent to the committee here. For more information, please contact Jim Young at (202) 547-0133 or youngj@agc.org.