The Obstacle Of Consolidation

| Read Our Blog Read Our Blog Blog The Obstacle of Consolidation Grace Powers March 5, 2014 Training, Uncategorized, Workforce zero The likelihood is growing that we are going to see the Workforce Investment Act reauthorized, in some kind, in our lifetimes. Betting on when the Workforce Investment Act will be reauthorized is like predicting the following ice age. Nevertheless, in the ten years because it “expired,” the chances of success are larger at present than they have ever been. Historically, workforce development has not, per se, been an particularly partisan issue but the drama round budgets, sequestration, and shutdowns, has made practically every thing in the federal “discretionary” finances up for debate. In the President’s State of the Union handle on January 29, he dedicated some three paragraphs of this valuable actual estate to employment and training â€" sufficient to cause most of us workforce improvement professionals to bounce the jig. And extra of the debate is discovering common ground. Both sides are beginning to discuss sectors and the desirability of sector methods in workforce improvement. In the US Senate, in reality, we hope to see the proposed Sectors Act as an amendment to the reauthorized Workforce Investment Act. The House model however, has some main obstacles. House members are nonetheless clinging to the “consolidation” concept claiming that if there are 35 totally different employment and coaching programs then, by golly, 34 of them must be “redundant.” This just isn't a claim one can simply defend, after all. As an Agency responsible for some two dozen completely different employment and training programs, we can fortunately report that people usually do not become enrolled in more than one every. We usually are not in opposition to consolidation to the extent it would scale back overhead and the cost of compliance. The greater issue however, is the general capacity of our workforce system. Here at National Able Network, we really enroll (rea d: “count”), solely about one p.c of the individuals who stroll through our doorways needing help. So consolidate all you want, but internet-internet, the Congress needs to increase the general funding now devoted to employment and training packages. The good news is both Democrats and Republicans help employment and coaching in their own ways. Take the just lately passed Farm Bill: the controversy was around the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka food stamps) provision, which ended up solely modestly altered. What the parties agreed to though, was the inclusion of employment and training in the Bill for individuals eligible beneath Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Since there must be one thing they disagree about, the query nonetheless under discussion is whether the employment and training provision for food stamp recipients should be necessary (the right), or not obligatory (the left). Either method, we now have $200M out there for employment and trainin g in the new Farm Bill, of which $10M shall be spent in 2014 to conduct employment and training pilot programs. Expect some of these “pilots” to incorporate obligatory employment and training provisions and others not. Photo credit score: National Skills Coalition, pictured: President & CEO, Grace Jenkins, and Board Member, Grailing Jones in attendance on the 2014 Skills Summit hosted February in Washington D.C. The Skills Summit brings varied organizations from across the country to debate policy reform that can improve workforce schooling and coaching insurance policies. Your e-mail tackle is not going to be revealed. Required fields are marked * Comment Name * Email * Website Subscribe me to your mailing list Receive our newsletters, breaking information alerts, and more! Veterans Forward Orientation Careers by National Able Network: An Online Orientation for Nebraska Residents! Careers by National Able Network: An Online Orientation for Illinois Residents! View More…