The American Workforce Act would create a Commerce Department program that supports paid, full-time job training as an alternative to college. Eligible trainees would be U.S. citizens with a high school diploma or equivalent and no bachelor's degree. Trainees and for-profit employers would sign a contract describing the job, training, pay, length, and possible credentials. Training could include structured work and education from the employer or a training partner. The program would be subject to available appropriations and would end after the 10-year report or 11 years after enactment, whichever comes first.
Eligible people could apply for a training position with a participating employer. The position must include paid work and education, and the employer must pay at least the applicable federal, state, or local minimum wage, whichever is higher. The employer must train the trainee for a position with a specified wage threshold based on local median household income. Contracts must disclose expected trainee costs and pay. Taking part does not require a trainee to earn a credential listed in the contract.
The program would provide employers with subsidies for training costs, not trainee wages. Payments would be no more than $1,500 per month and $9,000 total for a trainee. An employer may also receive a $1,000 bonus if it hires a trainee as a full-time regular employee after the project and keeps the trainee employed for six months. The bill does not state the total cost of the program. Its operation would depend on available appropriations.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.