The Workforce Investment Act and Worker Shortage in Rural Health: Preliminary Evidence from Louisiana

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 proposed to make education and training of workers and the economically disadvantaged more market-driven. WIA mandates that states create one-stop career centers as an entry point for WIA services, and in Louisiana these are called Career Solutions Centers. Clients at the one-stop career centers must progress through a series of steps to get subsidized job training. If clients still have not found employ-ment, then they may receive an Individual Training Account (ITA), which works like a vouch-er for education and training. Several health care occupations, including registered nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses and home health aides currently meet the designation of “top demand.” Thus, job training for those occupations is eligible for the ITA voucher. This paper will evaluate the relationship between ITA receivers and nursing employment in Louisiana