Bill Overview
Title: To amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to authorize a study to review specific outcomes of entrepreneurial skills development programs, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill expands career services and training programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to include skills and information on entrepreneurship. Further, the bill requires the Department of Labor to conduct a three-year multistate study on entrepreneurial skills development programs and make recommendations for states and local communities to expand access to such programs.
Sponsors: Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]
Target Audience
Population: People interested in entrepreneurial skills development programs
Estimated Size: 10000000
- The bill aims to expand career services and training programs related to entrepreneurial skills under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
- The focus is on adding skills and information related to entrepreneurship, which suggests a target population of individuals interested in starting their own businesses.
- Given the Department of Labor's involvement in a multistate study, it's likely that the focus is on a broad national scale, affecting multiple states.
- Entrepreneurial skills development is typically significant for unemployed individuals seeking new opportunities, young adults getting into the workforce, and potentially underemployed individuals looking to improve their economic situation.
- Overall, the entire working-age population could be considered since entrepreneurial skills are applicable across many stages and forms of employment and could be relevant to those actively pursuing or interested in entrepreneurial activities.
Reasoning
- The policy introduction of entrepreneurship into career training targets a subset of the workforce interested in starting businesses or needing new career paths.
- Considering both unemployed individuals and young adults entering the workforce provides a wide view of the impact, while also acknowledging that not everyone will take part in such programs.
- Given the budget constraints, it is crucial to identify individuals who are likely to engage in these opportunities and who would significantly benefit from them.
- The broad national impact targets multiple states, focusing on varied local economic situations and employment needs.
- With entrepreneurial programs, the intention is to boost economic productivity, so individuals with potential for high economic impact are of particular interest.
- The wellbeing scores will reflect perceived economic security, job satisfaction, and opportunity growth linked to these programs.
- Not everyone within the working-age population will be directly affected, but those interested in entrepreneurship will likely see changes in wellbeing.
- Evaluating the effectiveness requires looking at both short-term (Year 1-3) and long-term (Year 5-20) wellbeing impacts.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think adding entrepreneurship to career services could be great for people like me who are considering startups. It seems beneficial to have a more structured path to gaining skills.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Unemployed (Detroit, MI)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having access to entrepreneurial training could open up new avenues for me since I'm struggling to find a stable job. It can provide a fresh start.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Recent College Graduate (Seattle, WA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With this policy, I might gain the right skills to build my startup. It's difficult to transition from college without guidance in entrepreneurship.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Administrative Assistant (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might help me explore side business opportunities, which is something I've always wanted to do but lacked the confidence and skills for.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Freelance Designer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I already work independently but turning my freelancing into a bigger business is daunting. Access to entrepreneurial training seems like a good opportunity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Stay-at-home Parent (Chicago, IL)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Entrepreneurial skills can set me apart when I return to work, especially if I decide to enter into freelancing or consulting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Marketing Manager (New York, NY)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm generally optimistic. I see this as an opportunity to refine my skills and prepare for potentially starting my own business.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see it as a way to engage post-retirement. Learning about entrepreneurship could keep me active.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I'm doing well, the added support for small business scaling could certainly provide new growth opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Educator (Denver, CO)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Entrepreneurial training could help transition my side hustle into a full-time job. It's encouraging to see this type of support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 2: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 3: $3500000 (Low: $3000000, High: $4000000)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The bill's success in terms of economic impact is dependent on the effectiveness of the entrepreneurial skills programs and the subsequent implementation of study findings.
- Government expenditure in the first three years mainly focuses on the study, which will not immediately translate into economic benefits but rather seeks to inform better future spending and program design.