CAREERS Act

This bill reauthorizes the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program and expands the program to include support for career pathway programs or industry or sector partnerships in industries in rural communities. As background, this Department of Agriculture (USDA) program offers grant assistance to create and augment high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of new businesses, support industry clusters, and maximize the use of local productive assets in eligible low-income rural areas. Under the bill, RISE grant program funds may be used to support career pathway programs (i.e., a combination of rigorous and high-quality education, training, and other services) or industry or sector partnerships in industries in rural communities. These industries may include public utilities (i.e., telecommunications, broadband, water, wastewater, disposal, and electric supply services), conservation practices and management, health care, child care, manufacturing, and agribusiness. The bill removes the current requirement that the program provide grants (to the maximum extent practicable) for job accelerators in at least 25 states. Instead, USDA must ensure the regional diversity of grant recipients or participants in providing for job accelerators, career pathway programs, and industry or sector partnerships. The bill also includes additional reporting requirements for career pathway programs and industry or sector partnership grant recipients.