Workforce Development and Expansion Proposals for FY23/2022

FY23 / 2022 Workforce Development FY23 / 2022 Workforce Development & Expansion Proposals & Expansion Proposals State Workforce Development Board Discussion February 10, 2022 Kendal Smith, Office of Governor Phil Scott, Director of Policy Development & Legislative Affairs Representative Tristan Toleno, Appropriations Committee

Career Technical Education (CTE) Career Technical Education (CTE) Governor Scott H.703 Other Half of the Education Fund surplus ($45M+) to workforce development programs in K-12 settings, such as CTE, including upgrades to existing facilities $35,000,000.00 for CTE modernization including upgrades to existing facilities to expand CTE course offerings across the State H.582: Pipelines and Pathways Grant Program that provides grants to connect regional career and technical centers, school districts providing high school education, regional development corporations, the VSAC, and other regional workforce resources, each regional eligible for a grant up to $75,000.00, sum of $900,000.00 from General Fund to Agency of Education $300,000.00 to VTC to develop a skilled meat cutter training and apprenticeship facility $1,500,000.00 from Education Fund for CTE centers to offset pandemic-related costs Create a CTE Redesign Task Force that reimagines CTE system; develops new funding model; develops a new CTE delivery model, financing, and governance system; and redesigns CTE system for digital age $1,400,000.00 of federal relief aid to create recruitment campaign for CTE enrollment H.483: CTE financing and governance reform $500,000.00 of federal relief funds to launch two or three electric transportation (aviation and vehicles) pilot programs in CTEs across the state Allow students to attend a state-designated virtual high school as sending school for academics, to create more time for WBL and CTE courses Supporting work for VTC to deploy their courses in regional CTE centers

Trades Training & Retention Trades Training & Retention Governor Scott H.703 Other FY22 BAA currently includes $7.4M for the VSC Critical Occupations scholarship program $3,000,000.00 fund for scholarships and tuition payments for those in industrial, building, and mechanical trade programs with one-year Vermont work commitment $2,000,000.00 to ACCD to regrant to entities working to scale investments in sector and occupation career pathways to complete Talent Pipelines for all priority sectors and occupations within two years H.494/S.203: Vermont Workforce Expansion Act (VWEA), occupational licensing fee waiver application, expedited licensing recognition, expanded apprenticeships, appropriation recommendation for Vermont Strong Scholars Initiative $500,000.00 for loan repayment fund for those with debt in the industrial building and mechanical trades to be reimbursed annually for working in Vermont Waiving licensing fees in critical public sectors Immediate strategies and funding for strategic sectors Reimbursing employers with apprentices for tool costs Future-driven initiatives concerning green economy and climate workforce At least 5 new registered apprenticeship programs by July 1, 2023 and review regulatory limitations on ratio of apprentices to journey workers The Office of Professional Regulation (OPR) to expand recognition of work and credentials experience out of state or county Waving occupational licensing fees for those 25 and under

Career Coaching, Skills Enhancement, and Career Coaching, Skills Enhancement, and Returnships Returnships Governor Scott H.703 Other $300,000 for targeted employment pilot in Chittenden County through a collaboration between the Division of Vocational Rehab, the VDH/Substance Use Programs Division, and the Chittenden Recovery Center to support individuals in recovery to become competitively employed. $400,000.00 to Department of Labor to regrant as a performance-based grant to a Vermont based nonprofit with statewide reach to design, market, and pilot a job coaching and career planning help-line and online platform to provide incumbent workers with career counseling, resources, etc. H.494: credit for hiring workers with barriers to employment $1,500,000.00 to ACCD to regrant a performance-based contract for statewide delivery of a SmallBusiness411 helpline and website to help small businesses navigate available resources $1,000,000 to the Vermont Department of Labor s internship program $2,000,000.00 to ACCD to regrant to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund to assemble, develop, and design the content, delivery model, and statewide roll-out of a new employer initiative to upskill employers $1,500,000.00 to the Department of Corrections to expand capacity of Community Justice Centers or other retraining nonprofit organizations Two-year exemption from pension and retirement benefit rules that restrict or limit retired workers from returning to the workforce during the pandemic

Health Care Workforce/Nurses Health Care Workforce/Nurses Governor Scott H.703 Other $15,000,000 fund for nurse retention payments, recruitment activities, and to support relocation costs for international nurses $1,000,000 for UVM and VSU mental health nursing program FY22 BAA currently includes $60,000,000 for health care workforce retention supports $6,000,000 to VSU to double the nursing program capacity H.472: $1,000,000 to create the Vermont Nursing Scholarship Program for nursing students who commit to working as a nurse in Vermont for at least one year for each year of scholarship awarded $18,000,000 from Federal relief funds to invest in training, retention, and recruitment to our Home and Community Based Services workforce $3,000,000 for UVM to scale up its nursing program by 50% $3,000,000 for nursing scholarships with a one- year commitment to work in Vermont $2,000,000 to AHS for project management, stakeholder participation, and implementation costs of the Health Care Workforce Development Strategic Plan, exclusive of financial incentive programs S.196: tuition assistance, loan repayment, and relocation assistance for dental professionals $2,000,000 for nursing loan repayment (based on employment in Vermont) H.332: loan repayment for physician assistants Creating income tax credit for nurses and nurse educators of $1,000 per person H.437: Deemed licensure for out-of-state health care professionals S.165: opportunities for certain mental health and SUD treatment professionals to count credits for educational programming toward both continuing education requirements and course requirements for advanced degrees

Childcare Workforce Childcare Workforce Governor Scott H.703 Other FY22 Budget Adjustment: Currently contains $6,000,000 for childcare workforce retention payments $5,000,000 base increase in our Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP), which also supports salaries Proposed income tax credit for childcare workers as well as $1,000 per person H.676: establish child care capacity development grants to expand and enhance child care sites, encourage private investment in child care facilities, promote the availability of high-quality, affordable child case through the State and provide cooperation between private nonprofit child care organizations, child care facilities, and the Department for Children and Families

Post Post- -Secondary Education Secondary Education Governor Scott H.703 Other FY22 BAA currently includes $1,000,000 to UVM to provide up to two free classes for Vermonters seeking to transition to a new career or to enhance job skills $1,000,000 to the VSAC Advancement Grant Program $3,000,000 to VSAC to administer up to $3,000.00 per individual for matching grants for paid Vermont internships or registered apprenticeships $1,500,000 to VSAC s 802Opportunity Program, which creates the opportunity for tuition-free education at CCV for income eligible students $250,000 each to UVM and the VSU to support staff capacity to collaborate and respond to demand driven needs and an additional $250,000.00 to source the data and create and maintain accurate, curated Job Service/Database of jobs appropriate for recent graduates H.456: strategic goals in a manner and in an environment that is affordable, accessible, equitable, and relevant to Vermont s needs $10,000,000 to increase UVM s base budget $5,000,000 increase to VSC s base budget $5,000,000 to the UVM Office of Engagement to administer and equitably grant a statewide grant program of $5,000.00 per graduate who stay to work in Vermont Create a Higher Education Strategy Task Force

Enhanced Workforce Systems Enhanced Workforce Systems Governor Scott H.703 Other $2,700,000 to pilot the placement of six Workforce Expansion Specialists in Barre, Bennington, Brattleboro, Rutland, St. Johnsbury, St. Albans to support employer outreach, recruitment/retention, and pipeline coordination Create a public-private partnership with Advance Vermont Create a task force on ESOPs and worker ownership business models Creation and convening of a Vermont Workforce Network administered by a Connecting Organization $20,000,000 for short term forgivable loans to help businesses, similar to SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which can assist with operational and payroll expenses

Relocating New Families and Workers to Vermont Relocating New Families and Workers to Vermont Governor Scott H.703 Other $8,460,000 to for targeted relocation marketing, plus partnerships with regional entities to convert those interested in living here to full-time Vermonters. $2,000,000.00 to the State Refugee Office to administer as grants to refugee or New American focused programs working in Vermont $6,000,000 to the Remote and Relocated Worker Grant program to attract and help relocate new workers

Making Vermont More Affordable Making Vermont More Affordable Governor Scott H.703 Other Exempting military income and surviving spouse benefits from income taxation H.597: exempt certain military income from Vermont personal income tax, exempt all U.S. military retirement income and U.S. military survivor benefit income received by the surviving spouse of a deceased service member (several versions of this initiative introduced) Allow all Vermonters paying interest on student loans to deduct the interest paid on these loans Expansion of the fully refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to 45% of the federal credit H.510: creates a child tax credit for families with children 6 and under - $1,200 per child (up to 3 children), and increases the social security income tax exemption threshold by $5,000 Returning up to $45,000,000.00 of the forecasted Education Fund surplus to property taxpayers with rebate checks Replace the Child and Dependent Care Credit with a fully refundable credit equal to 65% of the federal credit amount Increase the social security income tax exemption threshold by $30,000

Housing Housing Governor Scott H.703 Other $15,000,000 (total) to create missing middle housing for moderate-income homebuyers. This pilot program will support homebuilders access to up-front construction capital through Vermont banks and credit unions and provide a direct project subsidy for up to 35% of eligible development costs. $25,000,000 (total) for Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP), helping private owners of vacant rental properties bring units back online providing safe, healthy, affordable housing to low- and moderate-income households $105,000,000 (total) to provide affordable mixed- income rental housing and homeownership units, manufactured homes, and improved farm worker and refugee housing $6,100,000 to address Emergency Housing and transitional housing needs