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E4 Workforce Development

Workforce Development

We must help Wisconsin's strong and able workforce find jobs in existing and emerging areas of the economy, and help businesses locate these qualified workers. The E4 Initiative seeks to expand awareness of and access to existing skills standards so more people are prepared and certified to work in emerging fields. The initiative also supports strengthening transportation opportunities to connect these workers to the businesses that need them.

As our economy changes, and industries like manufacturing become increasingly high-tech, it is critical that we provide workers with shorter, specialized learning. Emerging and changing industries demand workers with specialized skills, but often struggle to find qualified workers. By providing shorter, specialized training, we allow workers to gain skills for employment quickly. For some, these jobs may be a stepping stone to advanced certifications or college. For many workers, these programs provide a clear path to an industry or job where they are more likely to earn family-supporting wages and benefits.

My legislation promotes uniform skills standards certificates, which are attained by incumbent workers as a validation of skills they use every day or by workers new to an industry looking for employment. Skill standard certificates empower workers by providing them with proof of their skills, an important bargaining chip that can mean better wages and benefits, more opportunity, and less time searching for employment.

Federal policy and funding have been inconsistent on the best approach to skills certification programs over the past two decades, leading to duplicative certification programs being developed across the country that do not always provide workers or employers with a portable, industry-recognized certification. As new industries emerge, it is critical that these certifications be as universal as possible to respond to rapidly changing business needs.

My Skills Standards Certification Evaluation Act:

• Require the Secretaries of Labor and Commerce to evaluate existing skills standard programs that have been developed with federal funding.
  


• Require the Secretaries to post information about these skill standards programs online in order to make them more accessible for employees, employers, vocational schools, workforce boards, and community colleges.
  


• Require a recommendation from the Secretaries as to how Congress can best improve the fragmented skill standards system.

My effort is a first step toward a consistent and effective federal policy on skill standards, but more needs to be done. I will continue working to streamline these programs and identify industries where we may need to assist in the development of new standards, such as emerging green industries.

Of course, skilled and certified workers can only meet the needs of business if they can get to the jobs and businesses that need them. That is why I also introduced the Jobs Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program Improvement Act. This bill tackles transportation challenges that many workers face by increasing funding for the current JARC program by $100 million over the next five years. The JARC program provides reliable transportation to help low income workers reach more destinations so they can have access to better jobs. My bill also streamlines reporting and paperwork requirements for JARC and establishes a pilot program to further evaluate possible improvements to the program.