Archives for Workforce & Government

KRA Corporation feels that our Veterans are an important—and often unspoken—priority in public workforce policy today and second only to youth employment programming. Therefore we applaud the efforts of those agencies involved with the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). A joint program between the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the VRAP helps qualifying veterans receive crucial financial assistance for up to 12 months (payments equal the monthly full-time payment Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty) so that they can pursue a degree or certificate for employment in high-demand occupations (as determined by the DOL). The VRAP has
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Reauthorization bill H.R. 798, or The Workforce Investment Act of 2013, was introduced by Representatives John Tierney (D-MA), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-CA) in mid-February. (Congress.gov offers a concise overview of this workforce development reauthorization.) Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training in late April, this amendment to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) is an alternative to the Republican H.R. 803 Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, which Democrats claim “is highly partisan and will have a grave impact on the workforce investment system.” With 49 co-sponsors, it is directed
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On March 15, 2013, H.R. 803, Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 215-202. According to a summary of the workforce development system bill provided by the House Republican Conference on the www.govtrack.us website “H.R. 803 seeks to provide American workers with a more dynamic flexible and effective network of job training services.” They go on to distill the policy into three main points: It eliminates ineffective and redundant programs It empowers job creators and promotes accountability It cuts through the bureaucracy Fleshing out those points, the bill
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Baltimore’s workforce development initiatives were given a shot in the arm recently with the brief visit of President Barack Obama to the Charm City. Looking primarily to promote economic development through job creation, according to the White House, the purpose of the President’s second Jobs and Opportunity Tour is to address three areas of need: jobs, skills, and opportunity. As the operator of the Work Participation, Placement, and Support Services Program, a workforce development program for public-assistance recipients in Baltimore County, KRA Corporation applauds the President’s efforts in taking this opportunity to recognize the need to address job creation and
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