The CONSTRUCTS Act of 2025 creates a federal grant program to fund training programs at community colleges and career schools focused on residential construction careers. It targets rural areas and underserved populations - including veterans, low-income individuals, and groups with historically low representation in construction - to develop skills in trades like carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC. Grants, totaling $20 million annually from 2026-2030, require flexible scheduling, partnerships with construction employers, and plans to increase affordable housing supply through workforce development. The bill directly affects community colleges in rural or underserved regions and their students seeking residential construction careers.
This bill transfers unused funds from the Internal Revenue Code's Section 9006(a) fund to the Unemployment Trust Fund's Employment Security Administration Account. The funds will support state programs providing reemployment services and eligibility assessments for unemployment benefits. It directly affects state unemployment agencies administering these services by providing additional resources for job training and benefit verification. The change involves reallocating existing unobligated funds without creating new taxes or spending.
This bill establishes tax credits for individuals and corporations that contribute to scholarship-granting organizations and workforce training organizations. Individuals can claim a credit up to 10% of their adjusted gross income for contributions supporting elementary/secondary education, career training, or vocational education. Corporations can claim a credit up to 5% of taxable income for similar contributions. The bill includes a $10 billion annual cap on total credits ($5 billion for education, $5 billion for workforce training) and creates a web portal to help taxpayers make contributions and receive tax credit pre-approval.
This bill increases the required representation of labor organizations on state and local workforce development boards from 20% to 30% under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It also expands the definition of "labor organization" to include groups representing federal/state employees, railroad workers, and agricultural laborers - previously excluded under the National Labor Relations Act. These changes directly affect workforce boards that design job training programs and connect workers to employment services. The key mechanism is raising the mandated labor representation percentage and clarifying which worker groups qualify as labor organizations for this purpose. The policy aims to broaden worker input in workforce planning without altering existing labor protections.
This bill creates "Workforce Pell Grants" to support students in short-term, job-focused training programs instead of traditional degree programs. It directly affects students enrolled in state-approved programs lasting 8-15 weeks (150-600 hours) that lead to portable credentials in high-demand fields, not graduate degrees or programs exceeding 600 hours. Key provisions require programs to meet state-determined job placement (70%+ within 180 days), earnings standards (median earnings exceeding 150% of poverty line), and academic credit transferability. The program starts July 1, 2026, replacing standard Pell Grants for eligible short-term training while preventing double-benefits with other aid.
This bill requires states to create and maintain searchable online directories of career and technical education programs. Each directory must list programs by school district, industry focus, and credentials earned, using open, standardized data formats that work together. States must update the directories annually and include details like course sequences, work-based learning opportunities, and evidence linking programs to local job market needs. These directories directly affect state education agencies and school districts operating career training programs under the Perkins Act.
This bill requires community colleges and technical colleges receiving federal grants under the Health Professions Opportunity Demonstration Project to train participants to earn industry-recognized certifications, such as nursing assistant or medical coding credentials. It directly affects students in health career training programs at eligible community colleges and technical schools, as well as the institutions administering these grants. The bill expands eligibility for these grants by modifying federal law to include more types of colleges under the specified educational frameworks. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2025.
American Apprenticeship Act This bill authorizes the Department of Labor to make grants to assist states in carrying out projects that defray the cost of pre-apprenticeship or related instruction for qualified apprenticeship programs. Labor shall (1) establish performance measures and an evaluation system for such grant program; and (2) identify in-demand occupations that lack the use of apprenticeships, analyze the use of the qualified apprenticeship program model in those occupations, and report on such analysis to states and Congress.
This bill amends the Small Business Act to require Small Business Development Centers to provide direct assistance to small businesses on workforce programs. It specifically mandates that these centers disseminate information from the Department of Labor and other federal agencies about establishing and improving four key programs: work-based learning, federally registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship programs, and job training programs. The bill directly affects small business concerns by connecting them to federal resources for workforce development. The key mechanism is adding a new provision (subparagraph W) that requires centers to actively share this information, making it easier for small businesses to access these training opportunities.
S 2855, the *Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act of 2025*, provides $50 million annually (2026-2035) to fund grants for workforce training programs using virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and similar immersive technologies. Eligible entities - including community colleges, career schools, and industry partnerships - can apply for 5-year grants to create career pathways that train workers for in-demand jobs, with priority given to programs serving veterans, rural communities, people with employment barriers (meeting ADA standards), and industries facing workforce shifts. The bill requires grantees to report on program outcomes, including participant success rates and employer needs, and mandates the Department of Labor to publish best practices for using immersive tech in training. It directly affects workers seeking new skills, training providers, and employers needing qualified staff in growing sectors.
