S. 2306 — STEM RESTART Act

This section amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by redesignating section 172 as section 173 and inserting new section 172, which establishes competitive RESTART grants to support returnship programs (i.e., above-entry-level internships, apprenticeships, or similar opportunities with pay, benefits, and training leading to full-time STEM careers) for mid-career skilled workers who are unemployed or underemployed (including displaced or furloughed workers), particularly from rural areas. Grants, awarded by the Secretary of Labor for 3-5 years, go to small-sized enterprises (more than 49 and fewer than 500 employees), medium-sized enterprises (more than 499 and fewer than 10,000 employees), or their consortia in in-demand STEM sectors (as defined in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010), which are U.S.-based, not in bankruptcy, and may partner with eligible training providers such as institutions of higher education; annual payments range from $100,000 to $1 million for small enterprises and $500,000 to $5 million for medium-sized enterprises or consortia.