U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) on March 31 signed on as an original cosponsor of legislation that would amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to develop assessments that measure the prior knowledge, skills, competencies, and experiences of job seekers returning to the workforce or trying to advance in it.
“Now more than ever it’s critical that we help employers and workers get back to business,” Rep. Steel said. “Orange County [Calif.] is still 345,000 jobs short of pre-pandemic levels. This bill will help connect qualified employees with businesses who will value and utilize their experience.”
If enacted, the Validate Prior Learning to Accelerate Employment Act, H.R. 7349, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), would update current law to enhance the use of assessments so that job seekers could be awarded industry-recognized certificates or receive credits toward a postsecondary credential, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Steel’s staff.
Additionally, H.R. 7349 would foster collaboration with businesses and education providers to identify assessments that could validate in-demand skills valued by employers, and incorporate the assessments into the services provided by the local workforce centers, the summary says.
The bill also supports employers seeking to implement skills-based hiring by reducing the reliance on college degree requirements in the hiring process, according to the summary.
The measure has been referred for...
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