Shared Priorities for WIOA to Advance Racial Equity and Pathways to Quality Jobs

It’s time for Congress to take action to create a more resilient, equitable workforce system. Members are currently negotiating reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)— the primary law for our nation’s workforce system.  

National Skills Coalition and its partners have been calling on Congress to turn WIOA from an underfunded system to one that is adequately resourced to deliver high-quality skills training that supports the assets and aspirations of working people, helps small businesses who hire locally, and advances racial equity and pathways to quality jobs.  

Our ideas for transforming WIOA are based on the on-the-ground expertise shared during listening sessions we hosted in 2021 with over 140 local organizations including workforce boards, community-based workforce training providers, workforce advocacy coalitions and organizations, community colleges, businesses and chambers of commerce, unions, and labor management partnerships, and philanthropy.  

As Congress considers changes to our nation’s primary workforce law, we continue to lift up what they can do to create a more resilient, equitable workforce system, in partnership with our networks and with national organizations like the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies , UnidosUS (@WeAreUnidosUS) , and National League of Cities , quoted below. 

Here are three priorities we’ll be looking for in a WIOA reauthorization bill: 

Invest in a national network of high-performing industry/sector partnerships that advance workforce equity and job quality.  

" Local partnerships between businesses, training providers, local workforce development boards, labor unions and community organizations are the foundation of how cities, towns and villages are working to convene local partners to support a skilled and ready workforce.  This workforce is essential to the implementation of the historic federal investments in our nation’s infrastructure from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act. These partnerships support equitable workforce development, access to quality jobs and the economic future of our nation’s cities” - Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman, Legislative Director, Human Development, National League of Cities 

Increase access to digital skills by providing grants that can be used to both upskill workers who are already on the job and provide needed digital skills for workers without jobs who are training for new careers.  

"In the U.S., 55% of Latino workers need access to digital skills and Hispanics and Black people are 10 years behind white people when it comes to levels of broadband access. Supporting workers’ access to these skills helps ensure they can thrive in the workforce and achieve economic prosperity.” - Carmen M. Feliciano, Vice President, Policy and Advocacy, UNIDOS 

Expand outcomes measures, disaggregate data, and invest in evaluation and data systems to promote high-quality skills training, racial equity, and quality jobs.  

"From job loss to food insecurity to housing issues to infection rates, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects have had a substantial, prolonged impact on Black households. Policies that advance opportunities and protections for workers and learners are both urgent and long-term priorities. To identify and eradicate barriers for Black workers and learners, federal, state, and local officials must enact policies that create more robust tracking and analysis of racially disaggregated data” - Kayla C. Elliott, Ph.D., Director of Workforce Policy, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. 

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