[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2402 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2402

 To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to address the need to 
increase on-the-job training and apprenticeship opportunities, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2014

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to address the need to 
increase on-the-job training and apprenticeship opportunities, 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 ``Work and Learn Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Success in the 21st century labor market increasingly 
        requires workers to demonstrate competencies in thinking 
        critically and applying new skills to ever more complex 
        technology.
            (2) By 2020, the United States is expected to experience a 
        shortage of 3,000,000 workers with associate degrees or higher 
        degrees, and 5,000,000 workers with technical certificates and 
        credentials.
            (3) Properly structured, on-the-job training programs 
        should be part of the mission to get individuals back to work.
            (4) Apprenticeships, one common model for providing 
        workplace training, are a proven way to help people develop in-
        demand skills and to meet the needs of employers, yet the 
        individuals in apprenticeships compose just 0.2 percent of the 
        Nation's workforce.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to strengthen work-based 
programs of employment and training activities.

SEC. 3. LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS.

    Section 117(b)(2)(A) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 
U.S.C. 2832(b)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) by inserting after clause (vi) the following:
                            ``(vii) a representative who has expertise 
                        implementing work-based programs of employment 
                        and training activities that combine technical 
                        training with related instruction, including 
                        such programs that begin by providing mentoring 
                        and job shadowing opportunities, which evolve 
                        into intensive internships and registered 
                        apprenticeships; and''.

SEC. 4. PERFORMANCE.

    Section 136(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 
U.S.C. 2871(b)(2)(A)(i)) is amended--
            (1) in subclause (III), by striking ``and'';
            (2) in subclause (IV), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by inserting after subclause (IV) the following new 
        subclause:
                                    ``(V) Completion of a registered 
                                apprenticeship.''.
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