This 1998 Act provides the framework for a unique national system. The most important aspect of the Act is its focus on meeting the needs of businesses for skilled workers and the training, education, and employment needs of individuals. Key components of the Act will enable customers to easily access information and services they need through the One-Stop system; empower adults to obtain the training they find most appropriate through Individual Training Accounts, and ensure that all State and local programs meet customer expectations.
1998 federal legislation that aims to integrate national, state, and local job training programs to increase employment, job retention, and earnings of participants; reduce welfare dependency; and enhance national productivity and competitiveness. WIA replaced the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) as the nation's guiding federal legislation on the training, retraining, and employment of youth, adults, and dislocated workers. It streamlined JTPA's patchwork of federal job training programs into a locally driven service delivery system built around One-Stop career centers.