In this report, the authors analyze the most recent Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) plans (Program Years 2024–2027) and eligible training provider lists (ETPLs) to assess how well state workforce development systems align WIOA-eligible training programs with labor market demand. The authors examine how U.S. states and territories define credentials of value and in-demand occupations in their WIOA plans, comparing those findings with projected state workforce needs. They also assess whether eligible training providers (ETPs) offer programs to meet those workforce needs, especially for in-demand, high-quality (IDHQ) occupations that WIOA is designed to target.
Key findings reveal that most WIOA plans define credentials of value imprecisely and overlook identifying some in-demand occupations that could be eligible for WIOA funding. The findings also reveal substantial misalignment between the occupations that ETP programs offer training for and projected IDHQ occupations in each state. These gaps underscore the need for stronger coordination between workforce planning and postsecondary education and training opportunities to ensure that WIOA investments target real labor market opportunities. State workforce and higher education agencies can use these findings to strengthen cross-agency planning when approving training pathways to meet workforce needs.
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