Today, the President signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law. The bill passed the U.S. Senate last month with strong bipartisan support (95-3). By providing critical support and training programs to strengthen workforce readiness, the law will help put Wisconsinites back to work and grow our middle class.
“This bill is an important investment in Wisconsin’s economic security; strengthening workforce readiness and our economy,” said Tammy. “By modernizing workforce development programs, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provides critical support and training programs that work for businesses, educators and workers.”
Dick Best, the Executive Director of Workforce Resource in Menomonie, shared the way the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is working for the people of West Central Wisconsin:
“Whether through our highly successful Career Venture that provided nearly 3000 area youth with exposure to the occupational opportunities that exist in this region; or the hundreds served by our summer Work Experience and Career Academies; our Career Pathway and Industry Sector initiatives in Manufacturing, Healthcare and other critical demand areas in the regional economy; our dislocated worker interventions; Workforce Resource and the West Central Workforce Development Board stand ready to take those creative next steps envisioned in by The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The value we place on this renewed support for our Business-Led Workforce Development Boards and our area Job Centers cannot be overstated. And now, as the economy continues to improve, the workforce system that this legislation supports can be counted on to meet the future challenges of aligning the skills needs of workers with the talent needs of business.”
Throughout Wisconsin, federally funded workforce development programs have been a cornerstone of maintaining a strong talent development system. We have 11 Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) that provide services at 22 One Stop Job Centers around the state. Strong examples of workforce training success stories are happening around Wisconsin:
Milwaukee – Earn & Learn Summer Employment Program
Employing more than 1000 youth, with a 90 % employer retention rate, this program gives young people the opportunity to get a variety of experience through program partners including Milwaukee County Parks, Culinary Arts Program/ Wisconsin State Fair, Milwaukee Conversation Leadership Corps, and the Private Sector Jobs Connection.
Waukesha - The WOW Factor
The WOW Factor was launched to provide employers with a weekly publication that highlights 10 job seekers throughout Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. If an employer is interested in a featured job seeker, they can obtain their contact information. The publication has been met with great success. In addition to helping job seekers land more interviews, the publication has been the conduit for hiring.
Southwest Wisconsin – Dream It, Do It
Dream It, Do It is an initiative that brings together local manufacturing employers, schools, students and parents to inspire next-generation workers to pursue manufacturing careers. Over 50 local manufacturers have enthusiastically participated in the program and many have found success in meeting local workforce needs.
Wisconsin’s Tech Colleges
Tammy has traveled to many of Wisconsin’s technical colleges to see the ways WIOA is impacting students. She has seen first-hand the programs that are training students for high-skilled positions in our workforce and collaborating with local businesses and organizations to address local employment and skill-training needs.
More information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act can be found here.
Across Wisconsin, innovators and entrepreneurs are working hard to move our economy forward. Check out some of the recent stories from throughout the state this week:
Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to confirm Pamela Pepper’s judicial nomination for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The nomination will now move to the Senate floor for a vote. The filling of judicial vacancies has been a top priority for Tammy since she was elected to the U.S. Senate.
“Judge Pamela Pepper has had a distinguished career as a judge, federal prosecutor, public defender and attorney in private practice. I applaud the President for nominating her. She will continue her outstanding service on the bench, and the people of Wisconsin will benefit from having this experienced and dedicated public servant as a U.S. district judge.” - Senator Baldwin
Across Wisconsin, innovators and entrepreneurs are working hard to move our economy forward. Check out some of the recent stories from throughout the state this week.
Last week, Tammy was in western Wisconsin, where she visited both the Tomah VA Medical Center and Chippewa Valley VA Clinic, stopped by the Ho-Chunk Nation to see their mobile health unit and dental facilities, toured Chart Energy & Chemical’s new manufacturing expansion, and spoke to newly trained police officers at the G.R.E.A.T. graduation in La Crosse.
“Our brave men and women in uniform make great sacrifices on our behalf. I believe we have a shared responsibility to ensure that when they return home, they have access to the care they need and the benefits they’ve earned and deserve,” said Senator Baldwin. “By putting politics aside and coming together today we have taken steps to keep that promise and make needed improvements to the delivery of veterans’ health care.”
Ho-Chunk Nation
Tammy stopped by Black River Falls to visit the Ho-Chunk Nation, where she toured a 39-foot mobile clinic and the new 12,600 square foot dental facility. The mobile clinic provides free health care services to tribal members, particularly children, in rural communities in western and central Wisconsin. The result of a partnership between the Nation, Children’s Health Fund and the Idol Gives Back Foundation, it’s the first pediatric mobile clinic amongst any of the 565 U.S. tribes. The dental facility is a collaborative effort between the Nation and Marshfield Clinic to expand dental services to Nation members and the public in underinsured and underserved communities. The facility opened in October 2013 and is intended to serve nearly 10,000 patients annually.
Tammy has also sponsored bipartisan legislation to create a Commission on Native Children. The Commission would address the challenges facing Native American children by examining issues – such as high poverty rates, unemployment, child abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, and few economic opportunities – and making concrete recommendations to protect Native children and provide them with opportunities to excel and thrive.
Chart Energy & Chemical
Chart Energy & Chemical – a La Crosse manufacturer of heat exchanges specializing in natural gas – recently completed a $50 million, 100,000 square foot plant expansion. Tammy toured the new facility, which provides a large update to the 56-year-old manufacturing plant. In the Senate, Tammy has put a strong focus on manufacturing and making sure workers have the tools and skills they need to succeed in an essential pillar of Wisconsin’s economy. Tammy has also joined 22 of her Senate colleagues in support of the Manufacturing Jobs for America campaign, an effort to get Washington to refocus on manufacturing jobs.
G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training Graduation
Tammy had the opportunity to congratulate the graduates of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Officer Training at their commencement ceremony in La Crosse. The G.R.E.A.T. program is an evidence-based and effective gang and violence prevention program built around school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curricula. The Program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership for children in the years immediately before the prime ages for introduction into gangs and delinquent behavior. La Crosse has been the regional training center for the Midwest-Atlantic Region of the G.R.E.A.T. program since 1998 and has been teaching the program since 1993.
“It is one of our greatest duties as public servants to make our communities and our nation a better place for future generations,” said Tammy. “And by participating in the G.R.E.A.T. program, you have taken yet another step to serve your community, helping to ensure young people are empowered to choose a path of success.”
