A bill to require the Comptroller General of the United States to develop and submit to Congress a biennial report on the current state of the skills gap in the United States, as of the date of the report, that includes an analysis of the effectiveness of efforts to close the skills gap and policy recommendations to improve such efforts, and for other purposes.

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to develop and submit to Congress a biennial report on the current state of the skills gap in the United States, as of the date of the report, that includes an analysis of the effectiveness of efforts to close the skills gap and policy recommendations to improve such efforts, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Biennial Report on the Skills Gap Act of 2015 2. Definition of skills gap In this Act, the term skills gap 3. Biennial report (a) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and every other year thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall develop and submit to Congress a report on the current state of the skills gap in the United States, as of the date of the report, that includes— (1) an analysis of the effectiveness of efforts to close the skills gap; and (2) policy recommendations to improve such efforts. (b) Content of report Each report required under subsection (a) may include the following: (1) An analysis of employer participation in apprenticeships and on-the-job training in the United States. (2) An assessment of the Registered Apprenticeship program of the Department of Labor (Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly known as the National Apprenticeship Act 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq. (3) An analysis of the prevalence and portability of recognized postsecondary credentials, including industry-recognized credentials, that align with occupations that are in demand. (4) A comparison of policies and strategies addressing the current skills gap in the United States, as of the date of the report, with the policies and strategies employed by other large countries. (5) An analysis of the specific barriers preventing the United States workforce from acquiring the skills desired by United States employers, including an assessment of opportunities to reduce those barriers.

Summary: Biennial Report on the Skills Gap Act of 2015 This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to submit a biennial report on the current state of the skills gap in the United States, including: (1) an analysis of the effectiveness of efforts to close such gap, and (2) policy recommendations to improve such efforts. The bill defines "skills gap" as the difference between the specific skills set of employees and the skills desired by employers. Each report may include: an analysis of employer participation in apprenticeships and on-the-job training in the United States; an assessment of the Department of Labor's Registered Apprenticeship program to determine if it can be better utilized; an analysis of the prevalence and portability of recognized postsecondary credentials that align with occupations that are in demand; a comparison of policies and strategies addressing the current skills gap in the United States with those employed by other large countries; and an analysis of the specific barriers preventing the U.S. workforce from acquiring the skills desired by U.S. employers, including an assessment of opportunities to reduce those barriers.