Section 106.27. Workforce training program.

 

(1)   Workforce training grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b) , the department shall award grants to public and private organizations for the development and implementation of workforce training programs. An organization that is awarded a grant under this subsection may use the grant for the training of unemployed and underemployed workers and incumbent employees of businesses in this state. As a condition of receiving a grant under this subsection, the department may require a public or private organization to provide matching funds at a percentage to be determined by the department.

(1g)   Workforce training program; expanded purposes. Of the amounts appropriated under s. 20.445 (1) (b) in the 2013-15 fiscal biennium, the department shall allocate $35,400,000 for all of the following:

(a) Grants to technical colleges for the reduction of waiting lists for enrollment in programs and courses in high-demand fields, as determined by the department.

(b) Grants for collaborative projects among school districts, technical colleges, and businesses to provide high school pupils with industry-recognized certifications in high-demand fields, as determined by the department.

(c) Grants to public and private organizations or services provided by the department to enhance employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

(d) Administration of the grants and services under par. (a) to (c) and, if the department determines that the full amount of the allocation under this subsection will not be needed for grants and services under pars. (a) to (c) and for administration of those grants and services under this paragraph, grants under sub. (1) .

(1m)   Labor market information system. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bm) , the department shall develop and maintain a labor market information system to collect, analyze, and disseminate information on current and projected employment opportunities in this state and other appropriate information relating to labor market dynamics as determined by the department. The department shall make the information contained in the system available, free of charge, to school districts, technical colleges, tribal colleges, institutions and college campuses within the University of Wisconsin System, local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 2832 , employers, job seekers, and the general public, including making that information available on the department's Internet site.

(1r)   Student internship coordination. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (b) , the department shall provide coordination between institutions of higher education, as defined in 20 USC 1001 (a) and (b), and employers to increase the number of students who are placed with employers for internships.

(2g)   Implementation.

(a) Duties. To implement this section, the department shall do all of the following:

1. Promulgate rules prescribing procedures and criteria for awarding grants under sub. (1) and the information with respect to those grants that must be contained in the reports required under subd. 3.

2. Receive and review applications for grants under subs. (1) and (1g) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in an application for a grant under sub. (1) or (1g) .

3. Require reports from grant recipients describing how the grant moneys received by a grant recipient were expended and the outcomes achieved as a result of the training program, waiting-list reduction activities, certification program, or employment enhancement activities implemented by the grant recipient.

(b) Powers. In addition to the duties described in par. (a) , the department shall have all other powers necessary and convenient to implement this section, including the power to audit and inspect the records of grant recipients.

(2m)   Consultation. The department shall consult with the technical college system board and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in implementing this section.

(3)   Annual report. Annually, by December 31, the department shall submit a report to the governor and the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance providing an account of the department's activities and expenditures under this section during the preceding fiscal year and detailing the amounts allocated to and expended for each of the programs, grants, and services specified in s. 20.445 (1) (b) and (bm) for that fiscal year. The report shall include information on the number of unemployed and underemployed workers and incumbent employees who participate in training programs under sub. (1) ; the number of unemployed workers who obtain gainful employment, underemployed workers who obtain new employment, and incumbent employees who receive increased compensation after participating in such a training program; and the wages earned by those workers and employees both before and after participating in such a training program. The report shall also include information on the extent to which waiting lists for enrollment in courses and programs provided by technical colleges in high-demand fields are reduced as a result of grants under sub. (1g) (a) , on the number of high school pupils who participate in certification programs under sub. (1g) (b) , and on the number of persons with disabilities who participate in employment enhancement activities under sub. (1g) (c) . In addition, the report shall provide information on the number of student interns who are placed with employers as a result of the coordination activities conducted under sub. (1r) .

2013 a. 9 , 139 ; 2015 a. 283 , 348 ; s. 13.92 (2) (i).

Note

Sub. (3) is shown as affected by 2015 Wis. Acts 283 and 348 and as merged by the legislative reference bureau under s. 13.92 (2) (i). Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1