WASHINGTON (July 22, 2014) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) praised the signing of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), H.R. 803, into law July 22 and released the following statement:
“WIOA is an important step toward addressing the shortage of qualified workers in the construction industry," said ABC Vice President of Government Affairs Geoff Burr. “This is a big win for our members. This much-needed legislation will help ensure that local stakeholders are involved in shaping job training efforts and that more job seekers have access to training programs that will prepare them for career opportunities in their local economies.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the construction industry’s need for workers will grow twice as fast as the average for all industries and that the industry will face a workforce shortage of 1.6 million workers by 2022. ABC believes that effective, targeted and accessible workforce training programs will be crucial in preparing new workers for careers in construction and has been a vocal supporter of WIOA.
WIOA was first introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.). The bill passed the U.S. Senate by a vote of 95-3 June 25 and passed the House by a vote of 415-6 on July 9 with tremendous bipartisan support.
