Here is a roundup of some of the employment trends and issues playing out on a national level.
Federal Workforce and Labor Policies
The federal government is responsible for developing and enforcing workforce and regulatory policies. As a reminder, Congress makes the laws, and the administration implements and enforces policies around workforce policies.
In April 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 6055—A Stronger Workforce for America Act—that would make important updates to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was originally enacted in 2014 and was designed to strengthen and improve the nation’s public workforce system, help people secure high-quality jobs, and assist employers in hiring and retaining skilled workers. It provides funding to states for educational and technical training programs administered by local Workforce Development Boards.
The federal government continued its efforts to implement the massive spending packages that were enacted over the past several years such as the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act. Many of these large legislative packages also include workforce development funding.
The bill summary from the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce outlines the goals of the A Stronger Workforce for America Act, noting it would increase the amount of skills development provided under the law, strengthen connections between employers and the workforce system, and put more people on a pathway to a successful career. The legislation, if enacted, would upgrade the skills of more U.S. citizens, deliver greater accountability and program quality, strengthen pathways to economic opportunity, and fuel innovation for a skilled economy.
The legislation is currently pending in the U.S. Senate and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Considering that the current 118th Congress is one of the most unproductive Congresses in modern times, it is unlikely that this legislation will make it to President Joe Biden’s desk as a stand-alone bill before the end of the year. It is possible that it might be attached to another larger legislative package moving through Congress.
Federal Workforce Development Funding
In addition to the funding provided by the WIOA reauthorization legislation, the federal government continued its efforts to implement the massive spending packages that were enacted over the past several years such as the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and Science Act. Many of these large legislative packages also include workforce development funding.
Pandemic Rebound
The manufacturing industry nationwide has largely recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to continue to grow over the next 10 years, according to a spring study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers’ workforce development and education affiliate. The study also found that as many as 3.8 million net new employees may be needed in manufacturing between now and 2033, and many of those jobs may go unfilled.
One of the key takeaways from the study is that manufacturers, including members of the Flexible Packaging Association, must continue to develop innovative and flexible employment programs to attract workers and improve retention.