[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1619 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1619

   To direct the Secretary of Labor to develop a strategy report to 
address the skills gap by providing recommendations to increase on-the-
   job training and apprenticeship opportunities, increase employer 
   participation in education and workforce training, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 30, 2013

  Mr. Donnelly (for himself and Mr. Heller) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Labor to develop a strategy report to 
address the skills gap by providing recommendations to increase on-the-
   job training and apprenticeship opportunities, increase employer 
   participation in education and workforce training, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Skills Gap Strategy Act of 2013''.

SEC. 2. STRATEGY REPORT.

    (a) Strategy Report Required.--The Secretary shall develop and 
submit to Congress a strategy report to address the skills gap by 
providing analysis and recommendations to increase on-the-job training 
and apprenticeship opportunities and increase employer participation in 
education and workforce training.
    (b) Goals of the Strategy Report.--The strategy report required by 
subsection (a) shall include specific recommendations to achieve the 
following goals:
            (1) To increase the aggregate number of employers and 
        employees participating in on-the-job training and 
        apprenticeships.
            (2) To determine ways in which the Department of Labor can 
        increase employer outreach to encourage new and expanded 
        employer participation in education and workforce training.
            (3) To identify and prioritize industry-recognized 
        postsecondary credentials that are nationally portable and 
        aligned with in-demand occupations in industries such as 
        construction, manufacturing, and others that are emerging.
            (4) To determine ways in which the Department of Labor can 
        better address the skills gap by maximizing existing resources, 
        programs, and personnel.
    (c) Analysis Required.--As part of the strategy report under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at a minimum, include the 
following:
            (1) A comparison of United States on-the-job training and 
        apprenticeship policies and strategies with the policies and 
        strategies of other countries where employers play a larger 
        role in education and workforce training.
            (2) An assessment of the Department of Labor's Registered 
        Apprenticeship program to determine how it can be better 
        utilized to appeal to more industries and to boost the goals 
        described in subsection (b).
            (3) An evaluation of any existing or potential 
        opportunities within the Department of Labor to refocus or 
        repurpose resources and personnel to better support on-the-job 
        training and apprenticeship goals.
            (4) An analysis of the specific barriers preventing the 
        domestic workforce from acquiring the skills desired by 
        domestic employers, including an assessment of opportunities to 
        reduce those barriers by--
                    (A) improving coordination between Federal agencies 
                that administer employment and training programs; and
                    (B) modifying Federal employment and training 
                programs to enable States to better utilize Federal 
                employment and training funds.
    (d) Recommendations.--The Secretary shall include in the skills gap 
strategy report required under subsection (a) recommendations for 
achieving the goals included in the strategy pursuant to subsection 
(b). Such recommendations may include proposals as follows:
            (1) Actions that may be taken by the Federal Government, 
        Congress, State, local and territorial governments, the private 
        sector, universities, industry associations, and other 
        stakeholders to improve policies, coordination, and interaction 
        between such entities, including strategies and best practices 
        to--
                    (A) boost public-private partnerships and employer-
                led partnerships; and
                    (B) help establish regional industry partnerships.
            (2) Adoption of strategies that have been implemented and 
        proven successful in key industries and regions in the United 
        States and in other countries.
            (3) In coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and the 
        Secretary of Education, develop plans that identify 
        strategies--
                    (A) for increased employer participation in career 
                and technical education;
                    (B) to better align career and technical education 
                curriculums and programs with fast growing industry 
                sectors;
                    (C) to encourage more pre-apprenticeship and 
                college credit courses in secondary schools;
                    (D) to improve school-to-work transitions and 
                connections; and
                    (E) to assist employers in partnering with K-12 
                schools, community colleges, and service providers.
    (e) Submittal of Strategy Report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress the strategy report developed under this section.
    (f) Implementation.--The Secretary may implement the 
recommendations under subsection (d) as the Secretary determines 
appropriate, if otherwise permitted under law.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Industry recognized.--The term ``industry-recognized'', 
        as used with respect to a credential, means a credential that--
                    (A) is sought or accepted by employers within the 
                industry sector involved as recognized, preferred, or 
                required for recruitment, screening, hiring, or 
                advancement;
                    (B) is endorsed by a recognized trade or 
                professional association or organization, representing 
                a significant part of the industry sector; and
                    (C) is a nationally portable credential that is 
                sought or accepted across multiple States, as described 
                in subparagraph (A).
            (2) Recognized postsecondary credential.--The term 
        ``recognized postsecondary credential'' means a credential 
        consisting of an industry-recognized credential for 
        postsecondary training, a certificate that meets the 
        requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1) for 
        postsecondary training, a certificate of completion of a 
        postsecondary apprenticeship through a program described in 
        section 122(a)(2)(B) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 
        (29 U.S.C. 2842(a)(2)(B)), or an associate degree or 
        baccalaureate degree awarded by an institution of higher 
        education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Labor.
            (4) Skills gap.--The term ``skills gap'' refers to the 
        difference, or gap, between the current supply of labor and 
        skills of the workforce and that which is desired by employers.
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