MEDIA RELEASE

NASHVILLE - The latest figures released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development show programs created by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 are succeeding in helping Tennessee’s adult population get back to work and at a higher rate of pay.

Tennessee is ranked 9th nationally in adults registered for WIA training programs. Tennessee also ranks in the top 12 percent nationally in employment rate and retention of their jobs. The latest figures show after exiting these WIA programs, participants who remain employed after six months can expect to increase their earnings by an average of $3000.

The report also documents the success Tennessee WIA programs had in helping dislocated workers. Of the 10,237 who registered for training in 2002, 92.4 percent retained their jobs for six months, which is in the top 6 percent across the nation.

“Most of these numbers exceed our projected expectations, which really shows how well these programs have been received by the public,” said Commissioner James Neeley. “Each dollar spent on retraining adults, older workers and displaced workers yields much more when Tennesseans are not only getting a job, but are also getting higher paying jobs.”

WIA provides incentive grants of between $750,000 and $3,000,000 to states that exceed established performance standards. As a result of Tennessee’s outstanding performance, the WIA program received an incentive grant of $811,127. This grant will be used to support skill training needs of Tennessee’s employers.

The Workforce Investment Act requires states to measure the yearly success of WIA-authorized workforce development, adult education, and literacy activities by using performance indicators such as the number of individuals entering training, employment rates, finding a job, and keeping a job for six months, and the amount each participant earns after working six months.