To help workers secure jobs in an increasingly competitive market, Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) has introduced legislation to provide easy access to high-quality training, education, and support services.
Harris, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination leading up to the 2020 elections, introduced the 21st Century Skills are Key to Individuals’ Life-Long Success (SKILLS) Act that will establish accounts for American workers to access skills training and other educational opportunities.
If passed, the bill would benefit 78 million Americans, who will also be eligible to receive childcare and transportation costs while pursuing training courses.
The bill proposes to give $8,000 to workers if they are unemployed, dislocated, or employed and earning under 50 percent of state median income; $6,000 if they are employed and earning 50-75 percent of state median income; and $4,000 if they are employed and earning 75-100 percent of state median income.
“It is critical that Congress and employers recognize the importance of workforce development in order for our country to remain competitive in the global economy,” Harris said in a statement.
“This legislation makes a serious investment in our workers by removing barriers to securing the good-paying jobs of today and the future – including covering the costs of high-quality training and education programs and critical supports, such as child care, transportation, and books.”
The bill also proposes establishing a grant program to promote collaboration among employers, education and training providers, labor, local workforce boards, and community-based organizations to identify a community’s needs and align training and educational opportunities with local employment demand.
It also requires states to set minimum levels of performance for training providers to remain eligible for training account funds, and to create tools to compare employment outcome data across programs, providers, and states.
The bill received support from various groups including The Software Alliance, CLASP, Futures Without Violence, Jobs for the Future, NAACP, National Association of Counties, National Association of Workforce Boards, and the National Skills Coalition, among others.
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