Friend,
Throughout southern Ohio, I've met many talented men and women who have pursued career and technical education to develop the skills needed for high-wage jobs in fields like agriculture, manufacturing, public safety, business, and information technology:
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Meeting with folks at the Grant Career Center in Bethel to discuss how they're preparing
American workers for the needs of the 21st century. |
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Touring the Scioto County Career Technical Center to see how they give students the
skills they need to succeed in today's workforce. |
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Cincinnati State Technical and Community College briefed me on
their programs and services they offer to our country's veterans |
This week is "Workforce Development Week" in the House of Representatives, where we're focusing on helping to ensure all Americans are prepared to succeed in the work place. That's why we just passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353), a bipartisan bill that will help more Americans - especially young Americans - enter the workforce with the knowledge and skills they need to compete for well-paying, in-demand jobs in industries critical to the nation's economy. The bill:
- Empowers state and local community leaders by providing more flexibility to use federal resources to respond to changing education and economic needs.
- Improves alignment with in-demand jobs by supporting innovative learning opportunities, building better community partnerships, and encouraging stronger engagement with employers.
- Increases transparency and accountability by empowering students, parents, and community and business leaders with a voice in setting performance goals and evaluating the effectiveness of local programs.
- Limits the federal government's role by reining in the Secretary of Education's authority, limiting federal intervention, and preventing political favoritism.
We need to be encouraging students to consider these fields. Further, we need to be empowering young people with a variety of options (including technical and vocational training), to ensure they are equipped with the tools they need to enter the job market, compete, and define their own success.
Yours in service,
P.S. Learning and mastering a trade makes you an expert in your field, and gives you the tools to be your own boss. Click here or watch below for more:
