Legislation sponsored by Assembly Deputy Speaker Wayne P. DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) that would mandate the establishment of a pilot program to educate unemployed and underemployed adults in job-related mathematic, literacy and technical areas received final legislative approval Monday. DeAngelo released the following statement on the bill (A-4164):
“This legislation is an important step in the right direction to help our state’s residents receive the training they need to succeed in the workforce. In the United States, more than 35 million people have low-literacy skills while nearly one in three adults lack mathematical or technical proficiency, which ultimately impacts their quality of life and ability to earn income.
“It is clear this issue cannot be ignored, which is why we established a preliminary plan to determine the efficacy of a program that equips adults with relevant skills to help improve their employment prospects. I look forward to the commissioner’s report on this program and hope it will lead to a beneficial outcome for its participants.”