NSC releases jobs act summary.

On September 8, President Obama announced the American Jobs Act of 2011, a $447 billion proposal designed to address the nation’s unemployment challenges through tax benefits and other federal investments, including significant new funding for job training and employment programs. National Skills Coalition has prepared a summary of key workforce provisions under the proposed legislation, which among other things would:

• Establish a $4 billion “Reemployment NOW” program to support reemployment and training programs for the long-term unemployed;
• Provide federal support for state “work-sharing” programs; and
• Create a $5 billion “Pathways Back to Work Fund” to support subsidized employment and other training strategies.

NSC applauds President Obama’s recognition that job creation efforts must be paired with job training, so that all of our nation’s workers can gain the skills they need to help rebuild our economy. We look forward to working with Congress and the Administration to strengthen our nation’s workforce development systems while ensuring that funding for new education and training initiatives does not come at the expense of existing workforce investments.