To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to authorize a study to review specific outcomes of entrepreneurial skills development programs, and for other purposes.
This bill would broaden the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to place greater emphasis on entrepreneurship within workforce development. It would require a three-year multistate study of entrepreneurial skills development programs, including best practices, provider qualifications, employer engagement, and outcomes such as credentials and earnings. It would also expand how WIOA treats entrepreneurship across programs: expanding state and local boards’ roles to include entrepreneurs, adding entrepreneurship and microenterprise services to eligible training providers, and ensuring local employment and training activities incorporate information about entrepreneurship, referrals to microenterprise services, and entrepreneurship opportunities. In addition, the bill allows for demonstration and pilot projects that promote self-employment, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
Key Points
- 1Expands the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to include entrepreneurs in the state and local workforce development framework, and to recognize entrepreneurial skills development and microenterprise services as part of required activities.
- 2Changes eligibility and labeling to explicitly include providers of entrepreneurial skills development programs as eligible training providers.
- 3Requires local employment and training activities to provide information about entrepreneurship, referrals to microenterprise services, and referral to entrepreneurship opportunities as appropriate.
- 4Authorizes a three-year multistate study on entrepreneurial skills development programs, funded by a grant or contract, covering practices, provider qualifications, employer engagement, program outcomes, credentials, economic impact, and recommendations to expand access.
- 5Adds entrepreneurial focus to service populations and authorizes demonstration/pilot projects related to self-employment, entrepreneurship, job creation (especially in in-demand sectors), dislocation prevention, and career pathways.