A bill introduced this week by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock – and co-sponsored by longtime Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin – would increase federal investments in worker training to offset the impact of automation and artificial intelligence.
The Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act aims to help transition workers into higher-skilled positions that are less likely to be impacted by technological change.
“Nearly 50 percent of jobs in Georgia and across the country could be at risk for automation, and we know those most vulnerable are already living on the margins. This is an opportunity to invest in a future-forward workforce, equipping individuals with the tools, resources, and education needed to thrive in our ever-evolving economy,” said Senator Warnock. “This legislation marks a pivotal step towards ensuring our citizens are well-prepared to join the workforce of the future.”
Warnock’s office points out that those jobs most at risk from automation are those held by low-income earners, making the risk that much more impactful on an already vulnerable group. Further, they noted that the United States spends just 0.1 percent on workforce investments, “significantly less” than many European countries and half the level in the U.S. 30 years ago. Another recent report found that automation poses a risk to almost 900,000 jobs in Illinois – or nearly 20 percent of jobs in the Land of Lincoln.
“Preparing American workers for the future will strengthen the middle class and reaffirm our standing as an innovative global economic power,” Senator Durbin said. “An investment in America’s workforce is an investment in our economy, and I’m proud to introduce this bill with Senator Warnock.”
The bill would mainly do two things: create a grant program through the Department of Labor and increase funding for National Dislocated Worker Grants. The grant program would go to support industry partnerships – such as possibly the Home Depot Foundation highlighted by James last week – that provide training programs for workers dislocated because of automation. The National Dislocated Worker Grants (DWGs) are also awarded through the Department of Labor, at the discretion of the Secretary of Labor in response to large or unexpected layoffs that cause significant job losses.
There are two types of these DWGs, disaster recovery and employment recovery. Disaster DWGs provide funding for temporary employment to assist with clean-up and recovery efforts when an area is declared eligible for assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency – one of the ways it matters when a “state of emergency” is declared by government officials. The employment recovery DWGs temporarily expand capacity to serve workers following an economic dislocation or mass layoff.
All that automation does provide new employment opportunities in occupations like coding, advanced manufacturing, mechanics and cybersecurity.
“Diversifying, expanding and strengthening our workforce is essential to keeping Georgia’s economy moving forward and to our nation’s continued economic development. When we support our workers through training to keep them competitive, we help Georgians, and Americans, hold on to good-paying jobs and build stability for future generations” said Warnock.
