Government Shutdown Comes to an End
After the longest shutdown in U.S. history, the federal government reopened on Wednesday, November 12, after eight Senate Democrats voted to end closure in the Senate.
The package:
- Includes full-year bills for the Departments of Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch.
- Ensures that federal workers will be paid for the period of the shutdown and reverses any reductions in force that occurred since the shutdown began.
- Extends federal funding through January 30.
While this does tee up the government for another potential shutdown at the end of January, CalFresh (SNAP benefits and WIC) would be unaffected in that shutdown as the Department of Agriculture and therefore Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) would be funded until FY27.
Help Close California’s Digital Divide: Endorse the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act
Federal legislation to close California’s digital divide is on the horizon. California’s own Representative David Valadao (R-CA-22), who represents San Joaquin Valley and Kings County, along with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA-7), plan to introduce the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act before the end of the Congressional year.
This bipartisan bill would update the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to include dedicated investments in digital skill building. Research shows that 91% of jobs in California require digital skills, yet only one in three workers have even the basic digital skills needed to access good jobs.
These investments, in the form of formula and competitive grants, would invest in both jobseekers and incumbent workers helping unemployed or underemployed Californians build the foundational digital skills needed to reenter the workforce, and supporting current workers to upgrade their skills for in-demand industries and good jobs in the 21st-century economy.
Representative Valadao is leading this effort in the House—and now we want to show that California supports these efforts.
Consider endorsing this bill! Your endorsement will help demonstrate strong statewide support for closing California’s digital skills gap and ensuring our workforce is ready for today’s economy.
You can read the bill text (which will be updated to reflect the current year) here, and see a list of current endorsers here. For more information contact Caroline Treschitta (caroline@nationalskillscoalition.org) or to add your organization’s name, sign on here.
New Research: Students want more than just affordable short-term training programs
Earlier this year, the National Skills Coalition spoke with thirty-four learners from sixteen states (including thirteen individuals from California) through twelve focus groups to understand their experiences with short-term training. Their stories reveal what’s working – and what needs fixing – to ensure these programs deliver real results for students and employers alike.
The brief outlines how people make decisions about skills training, what people get out of it, and how public policy can deliver stronger outcomes for them.
Key findings:
- People see skills training as a path to better jobs and brighter futures.
- Affordability and flexibility drive decisions.
- People want to know which programs pay off, but that information is hard to find.
- Paid work-based learning and employer partnerships are key to strong outcomes.
- Accessibility matters.
With the passage of Workforce Pell, this is an important moment to ensure short-term, credentials lead to good jobs lasting economic mobility. Read the full brief here.