According to industry experts, retraining workers for new jobs is a measly 16% effective. Even when workers retrain, it is not guaranteed to help them find jobs in their field. But employers must find ways for employees to update their skills, or they will become obsolete and be replaced by robots and artificial intelligence. Companies have stepped up and instigated worker retraining programs to retain and motivate workers for a brighter future.
This retraining will most likely enable the personnel to work in a safe industry environment, lowering the likelihood of accidents. Along with good training, it is also critical to supply workers with appropriate safety equipment like eyewear, protective clothing, and safety gloves (such as those available at https://unigloves.co.uk/), which will reduce the likelihood of accidents in the production facility.
Other hurdles that workers typically experience include lower pay, an unjust work environment, and a lack of effective equipment and tools, but these issues are overcome if they obtain the essential skills. This gives them employment security and inspires them to work harder. When a person is out of work, they confront three major challenges:
- Finding work in the new skills they are learning.
- Finding ready access to job training resources and programs.
- Finding financial aid for the cost of retraining.
The good news is that there are a variety of resources to help workers reskill and retrain for new jobs. This article shares suggestions for resources that can provide assistance to workers needing to retrain or reskill.
Here Are Resources for Reskilling – Worker Retraining Programs:
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federal law that provides resources to dislocated workers so they can reenter the labor force, advance their careers, find, and keep jobs, and improve the quality of their lives.
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) (29 U.S.C. 2761 et seq.) is a U.S. federal law created in 1998 and reauthorized in 2004.
The Job Corps Program
The Job Corps program helps young people aged 16 to 24 build the skills they need for a career.
The Skills for A Job
The Skills for a job is a partnership charged with providing skills-related information to the public and advancing employer-driven solutions to skills needs.
The Department of Labor’s (D.O.L.) Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (T.A.A.)
The D.O.L. or U.S. Department of Labor program helps workers displaced by trade-related job losses. T.A.A. helps workers train and reenter the workforce, as well as assists them with financial aid. The federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (T.A.A.) program provides training, job search, educational, and relocation services to workers who lose their jobs to imports and ‘reskill’ themselves for new job opportunities in the new economy. In addition to helping workers directly, T.A.A. also supports targeted initiatives to help workers transition into new careers, such as worker retraining programs. These programs can help workers gain the critical skills they need to succeed in a new field, employers attract and retain qualified workers, and economies grow and thrive.
Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
The Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS) helps to return service members, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and transitioning service members find jobs. Each year, VETS’ more than 150 programs help more than 140,000 veterans find employment, upgrade their skills, or start their own businesses while training more than 200,000 service members to find jobs and better their lives. VETS’ Employability Services team is here to help veterans learn more about available programs, find a job, and transition to civilian life. Check out their resources page for more information on programs in your area.
One-Stop Career Center Network
There are a growing number of options available to workers who want to learn new skills, earn new credentials, or train for a higher position within a specific field. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law in 2014, created One-Stop Career Center Networks (CSCNs) to provide clear pathways for workers to pursue education and training for in-demand occupations.
Overall, worker retraining programs have proven successful because of the economic benefit: companies save money, employees learn new skills, and employers gain new workers with the required skills. Workers also benefit from programs as companies provide training and gain new skills. Increasing worker retraining is a step in the right direction to increase job readiness and boost the economy. Worker-retraining programs, however, should not be viewed as a substitute for other vital programs such as education, family leave, and childcare, which are critical to student success.
