Workforce Investment Act

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (replaces the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) program) utilizes federal funds to operate one-stop workforce centers which provide labor market information, such as:
  • Assessment, screening, and referrals of potential employees
  • Hiring incentives for unemployed workers
  • Scorecard data on training providers

Purpose

Administered locally by the City of Shreveport’s Department of Community Development (inside the city limits) and the Coordinating and Development Corporation (outside Shreveport), the program is designed to stimulate the employment, training, and retraining of unemployed and economically disadvantaged and dislocated workers through training subsidies and employer incentives.

Training services may include:
  • Basic skills training
  • Cooperative education
  • Customized training combining on-the-job training and industry specific training
  • Employ-ability training
  • Occupational skills training
  • On-the-job training where 50% of the wages for newly hired employees are reimbursed for a specified training period
  • Private sector operated training / skills upgrading and retraining

Services

Provided services include:
  • Access to state resources for incumbent worker training is also available
  • Comprehensive assessment, screening, and referrals in local one-stop workforce centers
  • Customized training for employer's new hires combining on-job training and vocational classroom training
  • Payment of tuition, books, and training related supplies for economically disadvantaged and dislocated workers to receive skills training at area community colleges
  • Vocational-technical schools and other accredited education institutions

Additional Information

For additional information, contact the City of Shreveport at 318-673-7500, or the Coordinating and Development Corporation at 318-632-2022.