Building Youth Workforce Skills Act

This proposal would let local workforce programs give job-training vouchers to more young people. These vouchers, called individual training accounts, could be used by in-school youth ages 16–21 and by out-of-school youth to pay approved training providers, similar to how adults already use them today.

In practice, this means more teens and young adults could choose the classes or credentials they need for a career and have the program pay the provider directly, using existing youth workforce funds.

• Who is affected: In-school youth ages 16–21 and any out-of-school youth in local workforce programs.
• What changes: Youth could use individual training accounts (training vouchers) to pay approved training providers, just like adults and dislocated workers do now.
• Why it matters: Gives young people more choice and flexibility to get job skills that fit their goals, using existing program dollars.