New Federal Proposals Would Build on Senate Democrats PA Works Plan
Harrisburg – April 16, 2014 – President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to appear at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) West Hills Center to highlight a revised $500 million federal job-training program and trumpet new grants for industry apprenticeships.
State Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), who is not only a CCAC graduate but is a current board member and treasurer, said today that the initiatives the president and vice president will highlight dovetail nicely with a comprehensive job-training program that is included in the Senate Democrats’ PA Works Plan.
“President Obama and Vice President Biden are aggressively promoting initiatives that will help both business and workers adjust to changing economics and rapid shifts in markets,” Costa said. “There is plenty of action needed in retooling our job-training programs at both the federal and state levels.
“Senate Democrats have already produced a comprehensive package of legislation to address needs in the workforce development area and we are ready to work with President Obama and Vice President Biden to help more people through partnerships and apprenticeships.”
The goals of the PA Works job-training proposals are to coordinate job-training programs and create a one-stop system of workforce investments, enhance training programs for emerging industries and tailor workforce training to fit employer needs.
Senate Democrats have a menu of legislative proposals that is focused on repositioning job-training programs. Among the bills in the PA Works job-training package is an employer-driven Train-To-Work PA program (SB 223), tax credits for businesses that hire qualified interns (SB 230), summer youth employment program development (SB 208) and to permit vocational students to earn industry accreditation in accelerated programs.
News reports have indicated that the president and vice president are expected to discuss a $500 million grant program that uses revised criteria for federal Trade Adjustment Assistance and $100 million in new grants for apprenticeships.
According to news reports of discussions with administration officials about the new initiatives, the goal of the new federal grant programs is to create a collaborative environment between local academic institutions, businesses and industry groups.
Senate Democrats previously held a policy hearing and roundtable discussion on the role of education in job training at CCAC West Hills Center.
Costa said at that hearing that “any legislative effort to energize our economy and create jobs must include an aggressive workforce training plan. Job creation and training will continue to be the central core of the Senate Democrats’ agenda.”
The PA Works plan would leverage $2 billion in private investment to help put people to work, cut business taxes and help small businesses be more competitive, rebuild the state’s aging infrastructure, foster the growth of promising new clean and green energy industries and retool worker training programs.
The aim of both federal grant programs that are slated to be discussed by the president and vice president is to create a “collaborative ecosystem” among community colleges, universities, individual employers and industry associations, according to reports of discussions of the administration officials.
According to published reports, the new federal initiative will require that successful applicants for the grant dollars establish a direct connection between their applications and job placement.
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