Investing in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act of 2026

The "Investing in Tomorrow's Workforce Act of 2026" aims to address the challenges faced by workers in industries impacted by rapidly evolving technologies, particularly automation. It acknowledges that current federal training investments are insufficient and that automation disproportionately affects women, people of color, and low-wage workers, potentially displacing millions of jobs. The bill establishes a new competitive grant program, administered by the Secretary of Labor, for "eligible partnerships" to conduct demonstration and pilot projects. These projects will provide training services, including technology-based skills and digital literacy, to workers who are or are likely to become dislocated due to automation. Priority is given to partnerships serving populations with barriers to employment, areas with high concentrations of at-risk industries, and those offering incumbent worker training or worker benefits like childcare and stipends. Grant funds can be used for direct training, employer assistance, equipment, job search support, and training stipends. Recipients must report on training outcomes, including worker transitions and earnings, disaggregated by demographics. Furthermore, the bill amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to explicitly include training for workers impacted by automation as an allowable activity under existing adult and dislocated worker programs, and authorizes an additional $40,000,000 annually for National Dislocated Worker Grants from fiscal years 2027 through 2031, specifically citing automation technology as a trigger for these grants.