WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), praised the overwhelmingly bipartisan passage by the Senate of the Workforce Investment and Innovation Act (H.R. 803/S. 1356) that will reinvigorate efforts to educate and train American workers in high-skill, in-demand jobs.
“This long overdue reauthorization will help Americans to develop the skills necessary to participate in today’s global economy. To maintain our position as the world’s economic leader, we need to educate and train our workers to fill the skilled jobs of the knowledge-based economy. We need to shift gears to match worker skills with job demands. The Workforce Investment and Innovation Act transforms our workforce development system from short-term crisis intervention to long-term human capital development.
“As our Nation continues the arduous climb out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, effective education and workforce development opportunities are vital to building and sustaining a vibrant middle class. The Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act will allow us to tailor services to local needs, creating a stronger system to prepare workers for the 21st century labor market, helping employers by finding the skilled labor needed to compete right here in the United States.”
The Workforce Investment Network for Maryland is comprised of Maryland’s twelve Workforce Investment Area/Workforce Investment Boards. The Network reports assisting more than 216,000 Marylanders with job placement assessment, job search workshops, resume preparation, and myriad other services from July 2012 to June 2013. Nearly 16,000 job seekers completed job training programs with several thousand receiving nationally recognized certificates and credentials. Through an aggressive outreach process, the Workforce Investment Network for Maryland engaged more than 7,700 businesses and was able to match nearly 44,000 jobs seekers with employers.
###
