Two Policies Both Parties Can Agree On: The Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act and the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act
In today’s dynamic economy, navigating technology is essential for achieving upward mobility. Yet, despite significant technological advancements in recent years, our nation’s workforce development systems have been slow to integrate tech-enabled tools and digital skills into their training programs to benefit jobseekers and workers. Through our campaign, #NoDeadEnds, JFF is advocating for policies that help people get ahead in times of economic upheaval, as well as in times of economic opportunity.
Here are two policies on which Republicans and Democrats should agree to modernize our country’s workforce systems and empower people to thrive in the digital age:
1) Pass the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act.
The Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act is a bipartisan effort led by Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), with Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI), to create a five-year grant program at the U.S. Department of Labor to use immersive technology in career and technical education centers.
This bill stands out due to its focus on inclusive training programs, especially for rural areas, regions with high unemployment, and individuals facing barriers to employment. The grants will prioritize meeting skills gaps, matching employer needs, and involving public-private partnerships. Over five years, the bill mandates reporting on progress and best practices to ensure alignment with workforce needs.
These critical updates to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) will strengthen connections between employers and the workforce system by modernizing existing resources.
2) Pass the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act.
The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act was introduced by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Representative Spanberger (D-VA), and Representative David Valadao (R-CA) to increase digital skills training and bridge the “digital divide.” The disparities between people who have reliable access to digital technologies like smartphones and the Internet and people whose access to these digital resources is limited can exacerbate income inequality and other socioeconomic inequities, especially for Black and Hispanic or Latine households and especially in times of widespread economic hardship, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bill proposes reauthorizing WIOA to create new Digital Skills at Work grants administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Through WIOA, states can apply for expanded funding to increase digital workplace skills.
This bipartisan bill will offer training to equip workers with the digital skills necessary to access high-quality, in-demand jobs and will help small and mid-sized businesses meet their hiring needs.
Join us in advocating for #NoDeadEnds.
Workers need reliable access to digital tools and skills training to secure quality jobs and careers, but our country must invest in workforce development and policies to support the long-term success, security, stability, and safety of workers in the digital age. Federal policies and programs should be a catalyst for transforming our existing systems, producing quality jobs, and creating a more inclusive economy—not a maze filled with dead ends.
This election season, JFF is calling for policy solutions that prioritize the workers of today and tomorrow and that modernize our outdated education and workforce systems to ensure everyone has boundless opportunities for economic advancement. Our campaign, called No Dead Ends, includes a four-part plan to make the system work for all workers and learners.
We need your help to eliminate the dead ends that millions of people face at school, at work, and in their lives. Learn more and sign the No Dead Ends pledge to join us.
Read JFF’s policy recommendations for transforming the U.S. workforce development system.
Learn how changes to federal programs and policies like WIOA and improvements in data access, alignment, and integration could drive better outcomes for learners and workers in this policy brief from JFF's Workforce Transformation Policy Council.
#policy #wkdev #qualityjobs #WIOA #digitaldivide #digitalliteracy #DIW2024 #DigitalInclusionWeek