To Read:
Federal Workforce Updates
Review the Administration Workforce Development Plan
On Tuesday, August 12, the Trump administration released “America’s Talent Strategy: Equipping American Workers for the Golden Age,” a multi-agency plan to modernize the workforce system, expand alternatives to four-year degrees, and address the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the labor market. It was developed jointly by the Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Education. It outlines factors affecting the workforce, such as limited employer talent pipelines, lack of coordination across workforce programs, restricted access to high-wage career paths, and the rapid pace of technology-driven changes to jobs.
The plan outlines actions to expand Registered Apprenticeships, support Workforce Pell Grants for short-term training, broaden access to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and integrate federal workforce funding streams into state block grants under the “Make America Skilled Again” (MASA) proposal. Click here to read the full press release on the plan.
Click here to access the full plan.
New: Department of Labor Performance Dashboard
On Wednesday, August 13, the U.S. Department of Labor launched an online performance dashboard tracking the outcomes of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Worker programs. The tool compiles data from more than 550 local workforce development boards, and aims to offer a detailed view of program performance across the country. It presents several measures from Program Year 2023, including employment rates in the second and fourth quarters after participants exit a program, median earnings in the second quarter after exit, the proportion of participants who earned a credential during or within a year of participation, and the percentage of training participants who gained measurable skills during the year.
It also reports on total participant counts, the number of participants who received training, and has attempted to capture the number engaged in Registered Apprenticeship programs. Users can filter data by state or by specific local board, and a downloadable version of the dataset is available. Program Year 2024 data is expected in late 2025.
Learn about how the Cincinnati Region Chamber’s Workforce Innovation Center engaged workforce partners in two employer tours: one at CVG Airport and another at Pioneer Cladding & Glazing on the Workforce Innovation Center blog.
Shared via the Women’s Fund of Greater Cincinnati Foundation, this report is from the Leap Fund, a national leader in benefits cliff innovation, “Five Years of Field Learnings about Benefit Cliffs with Employers.” Download the full report here: https://hubs.ly/Q03yl4Hd0
To Watch:
In this new #QuickTake video, National Skills Coalition CEO Brooke DeRenzis and Chief of Federal Affairs, Katie Spiker break down what the new Short-Term Pell law includes, what’s still uncertain, and how advocates can shape implementation at the state and federal levels. You can also read their latest blog to find out what skills advocates can do right now to protect training investments, support working families, and push back on the worst impacts. And, in case you missed it, the National Skills Coalition has a deep-dive analysis blog breaking down what’s in the bill.
To Listen:
Workforce on the Mic – Presented by National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP): EP11: Inside NAWDP: Diversity, Growth, and the Future of Workforce Development In this episode, NAWDP talks with Crystal Odom-McKinney, longtime board member and former Region 5 Director for NAWDP, to explore how the organization has evolved to meet the changing needs of workforce professionals and the communities they serve.