Good News: Jobs Bill Signed into Law

GOOD NEWS--JOBS BILL SIGNED!

Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund receives a direct appropriation of $5 million in the Economic Development and Jobs bill.
Middle Skills priorities move forward

August 7, 2012

Dear Friends,

The Economic Development and Jobs bill (H. 4352) was passed by the legislature on Tuesday, July 31 and signed into law by the Governor on Tuesday, August 7!

One of the most exciting workforce pieces in this Jobs bill is a $5 million direct appropriation for the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, a portion of which shall be directed to middle-skill training!

In addition, the legislation:

Establishes a MA Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative and Commonwealth Advanced Manufacturing Futures program which, as part of their missions, will develop and implement worker training for and talent pipelines into this sector;
Requires the state's Workforce Investment Board (SWIB), in consultation with the president of the Commonwealth Corporation, to undertake an annual review of local and regional labor market information to develop regional plans to coordinate training and education activities to target employer needs and to meet the commonwealth's demand for workers
Establishes a middle-skill subcommittee of the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund advisory board.

Read the Governor's press release for more information on the bill.

We are deeply grateful to the Governor, to Senate President Therese Murray, Speaker Robert DeLeo, and to our Senate and House champions, especially:

Senators Ken Donnelly, Dan Wolf, Chairwoman Gale Candaras, Karen Spilka, Stan Rosenberg, Katherine Clark, Sonia Chang-Diaz, Tom McGee, Jack Hart,Chairman Stephen Brewer, Mike Moore, Michael Knapik, Brian Joyce, and Mike Rush.
Chairman Joseph Wagner, Chairman Brian Dempsey, and Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera

Please thank our champions on their Facebook pages, twitter streams, or with an old-fashioned phone call or letter.

Thanks for helping this cross the finish line and for supporting job training in our state!

Sincerely,

Loh-Sze Leung

Director, SkillWorks: Partners for a Productive Workforce

Healthcare Workforce Transformation Fund

Earlier this week, Governor Patrick signed into law a landmark Healthcare Payment Reform bill that will save the Commonwealth $200 billion over the next 15 years.

Part of this legislation establishes a Health Care Workforce Transformation Trust Fund to invest in the training, education, and skill development programs necessary to help workers succeed in the health care system of the future. This Fund received $20 million in the fiscal 2013 budget.

We are very excited to see this additional investment in worker training for one of our most important industries move forward!