Introducing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Senator Tom Harkin

This week a bipartisan agreement was reached to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act. It looks to me that the bill, now called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, does a lot of streamlining to try to create a more “nimble” system (sorry - calling bureaucracy nimble seems to be a bit of an oxymoron to me as it is designed for stability).

WIOA (harder to say even than WIA - I’ve tried a few times and it sounds like I’m singing a camp song) emphasizes re-connecting youth to education. The official handout describes the elements of the bill:

Improved outreach to disconnected youth by:Focusing youth program services on out-of-school youth, high school dropout recovery efforts,and attainment of recognized post-secondary credentials.

It also eliminates 15 programs, applies a single set of outcome metrics to every federal workforce program under the Act, creates smaller, nimbler, state and local workforce development boards, and integrates intake, case management and reporting systems.

It's great that WIOA will eliminate the “sequence of services” and allowing local areas to better meet the unique needs of individuals. Although I’m a bit worried about its referring to “pay for performance contracts” as there is no evidence yet that this is a model that will be effective for older youth who often take windy routes before they fully attach to school and the workplace. I’d also feel better if there was more clear emphasis on skills training as there are jobs out there our young people might be able to access if they had the necessary occupational skills.

No matter what, it is great to see Congress finding a compromise. However, if WIA is re-authorized, we also are going to have to find another avenue to increase funds to respond to the youth unemployment crisis.

FYI - Opportunity Nation is having briefing call to provide an overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act on Thursday, May 29, 2014 3:00 PM EST - 4:00 PM EST. RSVP by clicking here. Call-in information will be displayed once you have registered.