Employment Tops GOP Convention Discussions

As Hurricane Isaac plows into the Gulf Coast, the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida, has been underway, with the economy and jobs among the list of issues being addressed.

The following is excerpted from the GOP platform and mirrors almost exactly the ideas by some Senate GOP members and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.   It is the most specific recommendation on job training offered by the GOP at the convention to date.

“Nothing matters more than getting the American people back to work. In addition to cutting spending, keeping taxes low and curtailing bureaucratic red tape, we must replace outdated policies and ineffectual training programs with a plan to develop a twenty-first century workforce to make the most of our country’s human capital.”

The statement goes on….

“It is critical that the United States has a highly trained and skilled workforce. Nine federal agencies currently run 47 retraining programs at a total cost of $18 billion annually with dismal results. Both the trainees in those programs and the taxpayers who fund them deserve better. We propose consolidation of those programs into state block grants so that training can be coordinated with local schools and employers. That will be critically important if states establish Personal Reemployment Accounts, letting trainees direct resources in ways that will steer them toward long-term employment, especially through on-the-job training with participating employers.”

It is interesting to note that almost all of the funding in the 47 programs mentioned goes directly to state and local governments, and are administered by the states, counties and cities. As the election season continues, Goodwill will continue to work with policymakers to strengthen and improve the employment supports for people seeking work.

Stay tuned to this blog for updates on the Democrats’ outlook on job training.