The system operates through One-Stop Career Centers, at which numerous programs must make their services available. The one-stop centers are local offices that offer job preparation and placement services to job-seekers and opportunities for employers to find workers. Numerous programs are required to offer their services through the system, including vocational education, veterans’ employment and training, welfare to work, employment services, vocational rehabilitation, and adult education, just to name a few.
In addition, direct WIA services also are provided to dislocated workers, adults seeking better employment, and youth. WIA services for workers include core services such as accessible job listings and assistance with job search; intensive services such as one-on-one career counseling and skills assessments; and job training. In times of economic uncertainty, WIA also provides rapid response assistance, where the state or local job training agency establishes an on-site office at an affected company to make immediate contact with employees and employers to provide assistance in the areas of job search and training activities.
WIA also created a stronger role for the private sector in the workforce system. Local workforce investment boards, which are required to have a majority of their members representing business, direct all WIA activities.
The overall purpose of these activities is to promote an increase in employment, job retention, earnings and occupational skills improvement by participants. This, in turn, improves the quality of the workforce, reduces welfare dependency and improves the productivity and competitiveness of the nation.
Mr. McKeon believes that Congress should continue its strong support for our nation's newly reformed workforce investment system, which contains the federal government's primary programs for helping our nation's workers gain the skills they need to succeed in today's workforce. He has fought for increased funding for the system, which will allow us to meet the training and employment needs to effectively compete in the global economy. Core, intensive and training services provided through WIA are invaluable in assisting adult workers in areas of the country facing skill shortages. Such assistance is essential for enhancing the 21st century workforce.
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was landmark legislation championed by Congressman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, which consolidated 60 different federal job training programs into three block grants to the states, and provided a voucher system that enables jobless Americans to get the job training services of their choice. Prior to passage of the law, the nation’s job training system was fragmented, contained overlapping programs, and did not serve either job seekers or employers well.
WIA consolidated and integrated employment, education and training services at the local level in a more unified workforce development system.The Workforce Investment Improvement Act builds on reforms proposed by Republicans in recent years to strengthen and improve programs and services under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), administered through the nation’s one-stop training center system. The bill will strengthen coordinating infrastructure, eliminate duplication, improve accountability, enhance the role of employers, and increase state and local flexibility to better serve our nation’s workers. Together, these reforms will ensure the nation’s workforce development system can respond quickly and effectively to the changing needs of job seekers and those in need of training.
Increasing efficiency, focusing on results:
- Eliminating duplication and waste. The bill creates a consolidated funding stream to streamline program administration and create more program efficiency at the state and local level. Funds continue to be targeted for those most in need of critical reemployment services. Priority is given to unemployed and low-income individuals in the adult grant program.
- Ensuring the one-stop delivery system is demand-driven. The bill requires state and local workforce investment boards to ensure that the system is dynamic and reflective of the workforce needs in the local area, and would increase connections to economic development. The measure also allows training for current workers so employers may upgrade their employees’ skills, and would encourage the highest caliber training providers, including community colleges, to offer training through the one-stop system.
- Strengthening employment services to help job seekers get back to work. The bill ensures employment services will continue to be provided in the One Stop Career Centers. To be clear that such services will continue, the bill incorporates current employment service functions into the description of a new category known as work ready services. For example, one-stop centers will be required to provide labor exchange services, including job search and placement assistance, as well as appropriate recruitment services for employers.