70 organizations call on Biden to Invest $100 billion in Workforce Development

Washington, D.C. — A group of 70 state and national organizations – led by National Skills Coalition – sent a letter to President Joe Biden, calling for $100 billion in workforce investments in Biden’s forthcoming recovery plan.

“We urge you to call for investments of no less than $100 billion for workforce development in the next recovery package to ensure that all workers have the skills and reemployment assistance necessary, and all businesses can contribute to a truly inclusive economic recovery,” the letter states.

Specifically, the group recommends:

• $35 billion in job training and support service investments to be paired with any job creation efforts in infrastructure, manufacturing, and clean energy. These investments should focus on local workers most impacted by the pandemic, including workers of color, immigrants, and women.
• $15 billion – consistent with the Relaunching America’s Workforce Act – to support the public workforce system, workforce development boards, community colleges, career and technical education and adult education systems. This is particularly important given that funding for the workforce system has been cut by nearly 40 percent over the last two decades. The US also invests less in active labor market policy than any other industrialized country, except for Mexico.
• $50 billion in job training investments for workers who are unemployed, underemployed, or most at risk for losing their jobs. This level of investment is consistent with funding called for by the Biden campaign and then-Senator Kamala Harris’ 21st Century Skills Act.

The letter is part of a broader effort by NSC and other partners in the Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce (CIAW) to ensure federal recovery initiatives include investments in job training and support services.

Earlier this month, NSC and Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships (BLU) convened a group of more than 60 business leaders, labor leaders, community college leaders, and industry training providers to serve on four industry recovery panels: Healthcare, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Retail/Hospitality.

Panel participants will meet with officials in the Biden administration and Congress in the coming months to share workforce recommendations on how to build an inclusive and equitable economic recovery.

Download letter to President Joe Biden

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