In a letter sent to Congress today, the Coalition expresses support for legislation that would modernize America's workforce development and education system.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 8, 2024) – The National Association of State Chambers (NASC) and Littler's Workplace Policy Institute® (WPI®) are proud to announce the formation of the Workforce Transformation Coalition. The NASC is the largest nationwide association of state chambers, with a combined membership of over 150,000 businesses, representing the entire Fortune 500, which employ over 50% of the total private sector workforce in America. WPI is the government relations and public policy arm of Littler, the world's largest labor and employment law practice representing management.
The Workforce Transformation Coalition is focused on elevating workforce development as a national priority by advancing comprehensive federal and state policy and programmatic agendas to strengthen workforce competitiveness and pathways to opportunity.
As part of these efforts, in a letter sent today to the U.S. House of Representatives, the Coalition urged members of congress to vote in favor of H.R. 6655, "A Stronger Workforce for America Act," expected to be considered on the House floor Tuesday evening. This bipartisan bill would not only reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) but also modernize the nation's workforce development and education system. The Coalition also urged House members to prioritize and bring to the floor consideration of H.R. 6585, the "Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act," which would expand federal Pell grant eligibility to include students enrolled in short-term, high-quality education programs.
"NASC and WPI have a shared mission to bring the challenges of the fast-changing workforce into the national conversation, and we are thrilled to be working together on the Workforce Transformation Coalition," said Scott Waller current chair of NASC's Policy Center and President & CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council. "We are proud to support this legislation as one of our first actions. These two bills could have an outsized impact on America's workforce development system, and we urge Congress to swiftly enact these important measures."
Meeting shifting talent needs and closing a growing skills gap are top concerns for U.S. employers amid ongoing technological change and economic uncertainty. The Workforce Transformation Coalition will work to develop high-impact solutions that address those concerns – and that can be implemented swiftly in post-secondary education and training.
"Employers across the country are looking for solutions to their workforce challenges," said Michael Lotito, Littler shareholder and co-chair of WPI. "As technological innovation drives significant changes in employers' talent needs, passing these bills is an important step in addressing our country's varied and complex workforce challenges and providing education and training to prepare workers with the necessary skills for the future."
The formation of the Workforce Transformation Coalition follows a 2022 report – Workforce: A Throttle on American Growth – developed by NASC and WPI. The report provided a comprehensive analysis of how employers, state and local governments, chambers of commerce and other stakeholders across the country are working together to address skill mismatches and meet the demands of the labor market.
