Section 49-7-112 - Skills for Jobs Act - Annual report regarding state workforce need projections and credential production(a) This section is known and may be cited as the "Skills for Jobs Act."(b) To the extent practicable within available resources and subject to the availability of data currently collected by and accessible to state agencies, the Tennessee higher education commission, in partnership with the department of labor and workforce development, the department of economic and community development, the department of education, and any other entity the commission deems appropriate, shall produce an annual report regarding state workforce need projections and credential production. The report must:(1) Indicate the state's anticipated workforce needs and the number of degrees, certificates, and other credentials that public and private institutions of higher education, including schools authorized under the Tennessee Higher Education Authorization Act, compiled in chapter 7, part 20 of this title, have issued;(2) To the extent provided by sources external to the commission, indicate the state's offering of career preparation and career training opportunities that high school and postsecondary career and technical education programs, apprenticeship programs, and other public or private workforce training programs have provided;(3) Identify any workforce needs that may not be met by the education, training, and apprenticeship programs; and(4) Identify institutions, public or private, that may have the academic programs necessary to meet projected workforce needs.(c) The department of economic and community development, in collaboration with the department of labor and workforce development, shall identify employer demand for skilled workers. The department of labor and workforce development shall align degree production to employer demand to assess gaps and oversupply. The Tennessee higher education commission and department of education shall identify connections across secondary and postsecondary training that are aligned to meet state workforce needs.(d) The department of labor and workforce development, the department of economic and community development, and the department of education shall provide data on the state's anticipated workforce needs and other information, as requested by the Tennessee higher education commission, that is necessary to produce the report under subsection (b) by December 1, 2021, and by December 1 of each year thereafter.(e) The commission, by March 1, 2022, and by March 1 of each year thereafter, shall provide a copy of the report to the education committee and the commerce and labor committee of the senate, the education administration committee and the commerce committee of the house of representatives, and the governor. The commission shall send the report to the commissioners of economic and community development, labor and workforce development, and education. The commission shall also send the report to the board of regents, the University of Tennessee board of trustees, each of the state universities, and the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association. The commission shall work with the department of education to provide the report to the state's public school districts and private elementary, middle, and high schools. The report may be provided electronically.Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 183, s 4, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 64, s 95, eff. 3/29/2021.Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 345, s 110, eff. 5/10/2019.Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 182, s 57, eff. 4/17/2015.Added by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 88, s 1, eff. 4/8/2013.