Title: TechSMART Workforce Development Act
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
TechSMART Workforce Development Act
This bill directs the Department of Labor to establish a TechSMART Workforce Development Program, under which Labor shall provide to eligible entities (i.e., a workforce intermediary, a public organization, or certain tax-exempt charitable organizations that include an advisory board) grants for technology sector job training and education programs that provide industry-recognized credentials during the five-year grant period.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5964 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5964

  To establish a technology-based job training and education program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2020

  Mr. Lujan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a technology-based job training and education program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``TechSMART Workforce Development 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TECHSMART WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall establish a 
program, to be known as the ``TechSMART Workforce Development 
Program'', under which the Secretary shall provide to eligible entities 
described in subsection (c), on a competitive basis, grants for 
technology sector job training and education programs that provide 
industry-recognized credentials during the 5-year grant period 
beginning on the date of enactment of this Act. Such training and 
education programs may include--
            (1) programs that provide a postsecondary credential;
            (2) intensive coaching and other short-term, specialized 
        services culminating in direct job placement; and
            (3) short-term or accelerated training that may or may not 
        result in a postsecondary credential in high-growth occupations 
        and industries.
    (b) Requirements.--A job training and education program that is 
awarded a grant under this section shall, to the extent practicable, 
provide technology-based training across two or more sectors, 
including--
            (1) information technology;
            (2) computer coding and cybersecurity technology;
            (3) healthcare services technology;
            (4) advanced manufacturing technology;
            (5) financial services technology; and
            (6) educational services technology.
    (c) Eligible Entities.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
this section, an entity shall be a workforce intermediary, a public 
organization, or an organization described in section 501(c) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 
501(a) of that Code that--
            (1) includes an advisory board, which may be--
                    (A)(i) a local workforce development board;
                    (ii) a State workforce development board; or
                    (iii) an appropriate subgroup of a local workforce 
                development board or a State workforce development 
                board; and
                    (B) a board of proportional participation, as 
                determined by the Secretary of Labor, of relevant 
                organizations, including--
                            (i) relevant industry organizations, 
                        including public and private employers;
                            (ii) labor organizations;
                            (iii) one or more units of local 
                        government;
                            (iv) postsecondary education organizations; 
                        and
                            (v) industry or sector partnerships;
            (2) demonstrates experience in implementing and operating 
        job training and education programs;
            (3) demonstrates the ability to recruit and support 
        individuals who plan to work in a relevant sector on the 
        successful completion of relevant job training and education 
        programs;
            (4)(A) provides students who complete the training and 
        education program with a postsecondary credential; or
            (B) uses a customized training curriculum that is 
        specifically aligned with employers, utilizing work place 
        learning advisors and on-the-job training to the greatest 
        extent possible; and
            (5) demonstrates successful outcomes connecting graduates 
        of job training and education programs to quality jobs relevant 
        to the job training and education programs.
    (d) Applications.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under this 
section shall submit to the Secretary of Labor an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
of Labor may require.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive grants 
under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall prioritize applicants 
that meet one or more of the following criteria:
            (1)(A) Include a local workforce development board or State 
        workforce development board; or
            (B) demonstrate a strong partnership with a local workforce 
        development board or State workforce development board.
            (2) House the job training and education program in--
                    (A) a community college or institution of higher 
                education that includes basic science, technology, and 
                math education in the curriculum of the community 
                college or institution of higher education;
                    (B) an apprenticeship program registered with the 
                Department of Labor or a State; or
                    (C) a customized training program developed in 
                collaboration with employers that utilizes on the job 
                training to the greatest extent possible.
            (3) Work with the Secretary of Defense or veterans 
        organizations to transition members of the Armed Forces and 
        veterans to careers in a relevant sector.
            (4) Include in the application an entity that receives 
        State funding or is operated by a State agency.
            (5) Include an apprenticeship program registered with the 
        Department of Labor as part of the job training and education 
        program.
            (6) Provide support services and career planning.
            (7) Provide entry-level technology workforce training aimed 
        at matching workers with well-paying jobs.
            (8) Propose to serve--
                    (A) young adults between the ages of 17 and 29; or
                    (B) individuals with barriers to employment (as 
                defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and 
                Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102)).
    (f) Additional Consideration.--In making grants under this section, 
the Secretary of Labor shall consider regional diversity.
    (g) Limitation on Applications.--An eligible entity may not submit, 
either individually or as part of a joint application, more than 1 
application for a grant under this section during any 1 fiscal year.
    (h) Limitations on Amount of Grant.--The amount of a single grant 
provided under this section for any 24-month period shall not exceed 
$5,000,000.
    (i) Non-Federal Share.--The non-Federal share of the cost of a job 
training and education program carried out using a grant under this 
section shall be not less than 25 percent of the total cost.
    (j) Reduction of Duplication.--Before submitting an application for 
a grant under this section, each applicant shall--
            (1) consult with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies; 
        and
            (2) coordinate the proposed activities of the applicant 
        with existing State and local programs.
    (k) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary of Labor may provide 
technical assistance to eligible entities under subsection (c) to 
leverage the existing job training and education programs of the 
Department of Labor and other relevant programs at appropriate Federal 
agencies.
    (l) Report.--Not less frequently than once every two years, the 
Secretary of Labor shall submit to Congress, and make publicly 
available on the website of the Department of Labor, a report on the 
program established under this section, including a description of--
            (1) any entity that receives a grant under this section;
            (2) any activity carried out using the grants under this 
        section;
            (3) best practices used to leverage the investment of the 
        Federal Government under this section; and
            (4) an assessment of the results achieved by the program 
        established under this section, including the rate of 
        employment for participants after completing a job training and 
        education program carried out using a grant under this section.
    (m) Definitions.--As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001);
            (2) the term ``community college'' has the meaning given 
        the term ``junior or community college'' in section 312(f) of 
        the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(f));
            (3) the terms ``career planning'', ``customized training'', 
        ``individuals with barriers to employment'', ``industry or 
        sector partnership'', ``local workforce development board'', 
        ``on-the-job training'', ``recognized postsecondary 
        credential'', ``State workforce development board'', and 
        ``workplace learning advisor'' have the meanings given such 
        terms in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 
        Act (29 U.S.C. 3102); and
            (4) the term ``workforce intermediary''--
                    (A) means an organization that proactively 
                addresses workforce needs using a dual customer 
                approach, which considers the needs of both employees 
                and employers; and
                    (B) may include a faith-based and community 
                organization, employer organizations, a community 
                college, a temporary staffing agency, a State workforce 
                development board, a local workforce development board, 
                or a labor organization.
    (n) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2021 through 2025.
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