This is the third scaled-down jobs bill based on provisions in the Americans Jobs Act to be introduced in the past month. Two other measures failed to get enough votes to move past debate.
Of the total $5 billion under the Pathways Back to Work Fund, $2 billion would be available for subsidized employment programs that are patterned on the successful Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fundthat created 260,000 jobs in 2009 and 2010. Governors would have the option of administering the program through TANF agencies or local workforce boards under the Workforce Investment Act or a combination of the two.
The Fund includes $1.5 billion in funding for summer and year-round employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth. A similar round of funding provided in 2009 led to paid work experience and training for nearly 360,000 young people. The bill would encourage local workforce boards to create employment opportunities in emerging or in-demand occupations and to provide year-round youth participants with education and training leading to industry-recognized credentials.
The Fund also establishes a $1.5 billion competitive grant program for a range of promising and research-based work and learning opportunities that help low-skilled adults and youth obtain education and training leading to jobs and credentials. Local grantees would apply for and receive funding to carry out:
- On-the-job training and registered apprenticeships;
- Sector-based training programs that meet the needs of groups of employers;
- Strategies that lead to industry-recognized credentials in growing fields;
- Direct work experience along with supportive services; or
- Adult basic education services or integrated education and training models that allow students to acquire basic skills and postsecondary credentials.
Learn about the broader American Jobs Act, which includes the Pathways Back to Work Fund >>
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