July 17, 2024 – LOS ANGELES. In response to last month’s Senate markup of the proposed Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act reauthorization bill, Jeff Carr, CEO of JVS SoCal sent the following letter to the Senate and House Committee leadership:
Dear Chairman Sanders and Chairwoman Foxx,
Sustainable jobs that pay enough to support a family require skills that many in the workforce do not yet have. That’s why government programs that fund upskilling and career training are vital. Congress has the opportunity to enhance resources to help people attain sustainable employment. The Stronger Workforce for America Act, H.R. 6655, reauthorizes programs previously funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that target crucial sectors of the economy. This represents a vital opportunity to support working people in our country.
Martha Animas turned to a career center in the America’s Job Center network for help re-entering the workforce after incarceration and rehabilitation. We helped her get job-ready and placed into a paid position. Women and people of color like Martha come to the job centers we operate across L.A. County because they are facing external barriers to employment.
It is not just discrimination and stigma that serves as an obstacle. Young people aging out of the foster care system face a menacing ‘support cliff’ at 18 years old. They are left to fend for themselves as they face mounting housing, transportation, and food costs for the first time. Through no fault of their own, too many of those we serve are without viable career prospects.
Others coming through our doors at our career centers have been victimized by predatory and costly private for-profit job training programs that promised a bright future. Research conducted by Third Way, a non-partisan think tank, shows that “most students who attend these institutions leave with little to no economic benefit.” What we hear from folks in our career training programs is that the historic focus on college has hurt, not helped them.
Thankfully, publicly funded training and support are available at career centers like ours to those seeking to upskill and grow their careers outside of higher education. But new barriers to career success can materialize once a gap in working occurs. Job seekers coming to us for help have acute needs beyond the costs of gaining new skills. For many, wraparound supportive services are vital before getting a job is even possible.
That’s why the WIOA reauthorization process is so important now. Those who enroll in WIOA-funded programs are facing acute needs and barriers to employment. Despite the positive reforms included, the bipartisan WIOA reauthorization legislation you are considering contains some troubling provisions. Promoting equity and opportunity in the workforce can happen if we get this bill right.
First and foremost, this funding does not cover the complete cost associated with training. Workers should be gaining access to new skills to adapt to our ever evolving and increasingly digital economy. Critical supportive services like stipends, laptops, classroom supplies, childcare, and transportation must be included. If workforce development programs are to effectively build thriving communities with economic opportunity for all, we must address these needs.
Secondly, the proposed funding levels—representing less than a 1.5% increase to states and localities—trail so far behind inflation as to be effective budget cuts. These rates and the levels of funding called for in the 2025-2030 period will actually reduce the number of workers and businesses who will receive support at our career centers. This lapse positions us to miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new pipeline of excellent jobs as the current workforce is entering retirement.
Often all a person needs to find their way to more lucrative career pathways and to combat cyclical poverty is a little guidance. Unfortunately, absent from this bill is funding for career navigation and coaching – a vital component that is proven to be effective in supporting entry-level employees in mapping, understanding, and achieving their career goals.
We commend your committees for their deliberate and thoughtful efforts to craft a strong bill. We urge you to address the funding issues we describe above so the bill may be improved in conference. Our workers and economy do not have time to waste, and we know that our elected voices in Congress are eager to build a 21st-century economy that fosters a more resilient, prosperous, and equitable workforce for all.
Sincerely,
Jeff Carr
CEO, Jobs. Vision. Success. (JVS SoCal)