Trump Budget Proposal Would Cut Ohio Job Training Funding by $1.2 Billion
Trump’s budget would slash job training funding by $1.25 billion nationwide through a new “Make America Skilled Again” block grant system that critics say hurts workers.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal would significantly reduce federal funding for job training and employment programs, cutting allocations from $4.65 billion to $3.4 billion through a new consolidated grant system.
The president’s budget introduces the “Make America Skilled Again” grant program that would combine a dozen existing employment and training initiatives into a single block grant system for states. The $1.25 billion reduction would directly impact Ohio’s ability to provide job training services to unemployed and underemployed residents.
Block Grant System Details
Under the proposed system, states would receive general grants they could tailor to local employment and training needs. The budget requires at least 10% of funding be dedicated to apprenticeship programs and 3% toward innovations.
The Department of Labor secretary could reserve up to 0.75% of funds for “program accountability” and technical support. However, the budget proposal contains no specific formula detailing how or where the money would be distributed among states.
Criticism From Advocacy Groups
Megan Evans, senior government affairs manager at the National Skills Coalition, criticized the administration’s approach during an interview with the Ohio Capital Journal.
“The administration says it’s trying to streamline,” Evans said. “But in reality it’s co[ming] at the expense of workers and employers.”
Evans characterized the MASA effort as a method for implementing significant cuts that would ultimately harm both workers seeking training and employers needing skilled labor.
Congressional Response
Congressional Republicans are pursuing alternative approaches to funding federal job programs, showing limited enthusiasm for Trump’s MASA proposal. The same proposal appeared in the president’s budget request last year but gained little traction among Republican lawmakers.
The MASA initiative represents another attempt by the Trump administration to reduce administrative costs in job training programs while making them more responsive to workplace changes. The Labor Department referred questions about the plan to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not respond to inquiries.
Ohio currently receives federal workforce development funding through multiple streams that would be consolidated under the proposed system. The state’s workforce development boards and community colleges rely heavily on these federal dollars to operate training programs for displaced workers, veterans, and individuals seeking to upgrade their skills.
