Office of Public Affairs                                 Denver, CO.

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION
CONTACT: Peter Hamm                                      FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
OFFICE:  202-219-6871                                    July 7, 1999

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GIVES UTAH GREEN LIGHT
TO IMPLEMENT HISTORIC WORKFORCE INVESTMENT SYSTEM

Utah is one of nine states that have moved forward in starting a new approach to employment and training delivery services made possible by last year's passage of the Workforce Investment Act.

The U.S. Department of Labor has authorized Utah and eight other states to begin to implement the new system, replacing the Job Training Partnership Act, said Thomas M. Dowd, regional administrator for the Employment and Training Administration in Denver.

"Utah and the other eight states have taken the lead in creating the job training system of the future," Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman said. "Workers across the country will benefit from the changes as this new system is adopted nationwide."

Utah began its adult and dislocated worker services under the Act rules July 1, and plans to operate youth services under the Act no later than Sept.15.

Utah envisions a youth strategy that will provide early involvement and be more intensive in assisting youth in their education and other preparations to succeed in the workforce. The youth plan will be released by the state soon.

States have until July 1, 2000 to convert to the new system. The Workforce Investment Act:

• gives states and localities more authority to tailor programs to their local needs;
  
  
• continues to strengthen "One-Stop" service delivery offices to provide easy access to information on jobs and job training for all Americans;
  
  
• established Individual Training Accounts so people can make personal training choices, and;
  
  
• emphasizes jobs and job training for young people.

For further information about the new programs in Utah, call Darin Brush at 801-526-9206 or Curt Stewart at 801-526-4315. Dowd can be reached at 303-844-1651. ###

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