Critical Industry Skills Act

The Critical Industry Skills Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to allow state governors to reserve up to 10 percent of federal workforce funding for two new funds: a critical industry skills fund and an industry or sector partnership and career pathways development fund. These funds are intended to support training programs in high-growth or high-wage industries that lead to employment with participating employers, with payments made based on participant performance and retention over six months. The bill also expands allowable activities to include competency-based assessments, employer-directed skills development, and partnerships between businesses, educational institutions, and workforce boards to create career pathways for job seekers and incumbent workers.