The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was established to address the following: • Business Outreach/Employer Engagement – Work up-front with employers to determine local or regional hiring needs and design training programs that are responsive to those needs. • Earn and Learn - Offer work-based learning opportunities with employers – including on-the-job training, internships, and pre-apprenticeships and Registered Apprenticeships as training paths to employment. • Smart Choices – Make better use of data to drive accountability, inform what programs are offered and what is taught, and offer user-friendly information for job seekers to choose what programs and pathways work for them and are likely to result in jobs. • Measurement Matters – Measure and evaluate employment and earnings outcomes. • Stepping Stones – Promote a seamless progression from one educational stepping stone to another, and across work-based training and education, so individuals’ efforts result in progress. • Opening Doors – Break down barriers to accessing job-driven training and hiring for any American who is willing to work, including access to supportive services and relevant guidance. • Regional Partnerships – Create regional collaborations among American Job Centers, education institutions, labor and non-profits
