JEC report highlights workforce training.

On August 4, the congressional Joint Economic Committee released a report highlighting the importance of effective job training programs in reducing unemployment and supporting the nation’s economic recovery efforts.

The new report, “Addressing Long-Term Unemployment after the Great Recession: The Crucial Role of Workforce Training,” notes that while the recession officially ended in 2009, both the overall unemployment and long-term unemployment rates remain unacceptably high. The report particularly focuses on the challenges facing the nation’s long-term unemployed – the 6.1 million Americans who have been out of work for six months or more – pointing out that such workers are far less likely to find new jobs than individuals who have been unemployed for shorter periods, and suggesting that persistent long-term unemployment trends could have a lasting impact on labor force participation and future economic growth.

The JEC indicates that job training and education can be a part of the solution, arguing that “putting in place and bringing to scale effective workforce programs that strengthen and target skills for growth sectors of the economy is critical to addressing the nation’s long-term unemployment challenge.” The committee notes that U.S. investments in labor market policies, including job training and education programs, were well below the average for other industrialized nations in 2008 – prior to the devastating cuts in workforce development under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 continuing resolution – and suggests that reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act would provide an important opportunity to strengthen and modernize federal workforce programs.

National Skills Coalition applauds the JEC for drawing attention to this critical issue, and we look forward to working with Congress to continue to advance policies that invest in the skills of the U.S. workforce.