Rep. John Duarte (R-Hughson) has introduced a bill that aims to double the amount — from. 20 percent to 40 percent — of Adult and Dislocated Worker Allocation funding that local boards can spend on incumbent worker training.
“Last week, I proudly introduced the Professional Growth and Retention Act,” said Duarte. “By investing in the skills development of our existing workers, we not only enhance the competitiveness of our businesses, but also ensure the sustained growth of our local communities.”
Employer-facilitated training programs — classroom instruction, laboratory training, virtual instruction models — equip existing employees with the necessary skills to maintain their employment. However, local workforce boards are limited to using just 20 percent of their ADWA funds for IWT.
Duarte’s bill seeks to double the allocation for IWT, with an addition boost to 50 percent for areas with unemployment rates at or below 3 percent.
“It’s a forward-looking approach to workforce development, especially in rural communities,” said Duarte. “By allowing local employers to retain and train the local workforce, we can create more prosperity and opportunity in the places that need it most.”
California’s unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percent to 4.8 percent in October 2023 despite the state’s employers adding 40,200 non-farm payroll jobs to the economy, according to data released last month by the California Employment Development Department from two separate surveys.
The number of jobs in the agriculture industry decreased slightly from September by 800 to a total of 430,500 jobs in October. The agricultural industry had 4,800 more farm jobs this year than it did in October a year ago.
California’s unemployment rate is 4.8 percent overall, while the rate sits at 6.0 percent in Stanislaus County and a whopping 7.8 percent in neighboring Merced County, By way of comparison, San Mateo County, at 3.2 percent, has the lowest rate in the state, while Imperial County, at 19.3 percent, has the highest.
Duarte, serving his first term representing California’s 13th congressional district, is expected to face one of the most competitive races in the nation in 2024. Former Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) already has announced plans to run against Duarte in a rematch of the 2022 race that was decided by a mere 564 votes.
The congressman is slated to be in Turlock Friday night when he takes part in a Town Hall Meeting hosted by Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa. The hour-long meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Calvary Chapel Turlock, 147 S. Broadway.
