Positive development to secure workforce development reforms

By Dani Sheehan.

After passing the House with bipartisan support, your voice is needed to urge Congress to support the passage of A Stronger Workforce for America Act before the end of the year.

Each year during Roofing Day in D.C., roofing professionals meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to advocate for key legislative priorities to improve and sustain the roofing industry. Among these critical issues, tackling chronic workforce shortages continues to be a top concern. Encouragingly, an amended version of A Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655) has gained overwhelming bipartisan support and passed the House. This legislation promises to streamline and improve skills training programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), making them more accessible for small businesses like roofing contractors. 

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) is urging Congress to pass H.R. 6655 in its amended form before the end of the year – and your voice can help make a difference. 

For roofing contractors and others in construction industries, the revised bill provides practical solutions to fill skilled labor shortages and support workforce development. Highlights include: 

• Upskilling workers: The bill will allocate funding to programs like on-the-job training and individual training accounts, which help workers gain relevant skills. Dislocated workers receive individual training accounts worth at least $5,000 for reskilling programs. 
• Industry partnerships: States can establish funds to support skills training in critical industries, reimbursing employers once workers complete training and remain employed. 
• Increased training access: The bill raises funding caps for incumbent worker training, ensuring current employees can upskill and advance within their companies. 

Beyond addressing workforce shortages, H.R. 6655 prioritizes program accountability and quality, requiring training programs to focus on employment outcomes. It also enhances transparency by making data on credentials accessible, promoting skills-based hiring practices and fostering partnerships between industry and educational institutions. 

These updates will modernize the workforce development system, making it more responsive to the challenges faced by roofing professionals. With these reforms, the industry will have better access to a skilled and resilient workforce, helping contractors fill open positions with qualified workers. 

With the NRCA, we’d like to thank Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-VA) and Bobby Scott (D-VA), chair and ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair and ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and their staff for the dedication and hard work of developing a bipartisan bill which will help address important workforce development needs in roofing and related industries. 

Email your legislators through the NRCA Grassroots Advocacy Network and urge them to support passage of A Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655) as amended before the end of the year.