U.S. Representative Scott Perry (PA-4) recently joined U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-5), Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Career & Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, at a field hearing in Harrisburg to discuss “The Role of Career & Technical Education in Creating a Skilled Workforce: Perspectives from Employers and Stakeholders.”
Reps. Thompson and Perry were joined by Pennsylvania State Senator John Blake (PA-22) and U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (PA-3), and the Caucus received witness testimony from education and workforce advocates and representatives from a range of private industries and employment sectors.
“As a graduate of the Cumberland Perry Area Vocational Technical School, I know firsthand the value of technical education,” said Rep. Perry. “It's frustrating that at the same time millions of Americans remain unemployed, about 600,000 manufacturing jobs remain unfilled in the United States. Congress tackled this issue with a strong job training bill this year, but strengthening technical education will build on these efforts to grow our skilled workforce and improve economic opportunities for our citizens.”
“We have an obligation, whether as local, state or federal policy makers, to ensure that all Americans have access to quality programs that will equip them with the skills needed to succeed in an evolving and globally competitive job market,” stated Rep. Thompson. “Today’s witness panel offered a range of insights into how we improve career and technical education programs, involve employers of all sizes, and ensure that individuals will have access to good paying, family sustaining jobs.”
“CTE has a critically important role in developing the skilled workforce necessary to keep our nation economically competitive,” stated Ms. Kimberly A. Green, Executive Director, the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium. “Today, more than ever, the spotlight on CTE is being shown on CTE as a proven strategy that engages students, aligns talent with opportunity, and ensures preparation for the workforce and further education. As employers struggle to find the skilled workers needed to fill millions of job vacancies, it is critical that CTE play a larger role in expanding the nation’s talent pipeline. Future Perkins legislation must strike a balance between the immediate labor needs of employers and the projected needs of the wider economy in the years to come.”
“CTE educators and employers need each other. There can be little effective technical training without collaboration between the two sectors – and not just one time or occasionally. What’s needed is a sustained, structured exchange of information and often day-to-day cooperation,” stated Ms. Tamar Jacoby, President of Opportunity America, testifying on behalf of the Opportunity America Jobs and Careers Coalition. “I’d like to thank Rep. Thompson for holding this hearing. I know my members are grateful for your leadership on workforce policy. The coalition looks forward to working with you and other members of the panel, to deliver on the promise of career and technical education – teaching young people the skills they need to be productive in the workplace even as it provides employers with the workers they need to remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy.”
“My organization is experiencing a workforce skills gap as baby boomers begin to retire, taking with them the much needed, and not easily replaceable hands-on experience and conventional knowledge they acquired over years in the industry,” stated Ms. Amanda Novak, Human Resource Manager, Tri-M Group, and the Associated Builders and Contractors Eastern Pennsylvania Apprenticeship Trust Chairman. “Pennsylvania has identified construction trades, including electricians, as a high priority occupation, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to align the skills shortage with our education system.”
“While I have shared many efforts to create the future workforce pipeline and Oberg’s intricate relationship with Career and Technical Education providers in our region, more needs to be done,” stated Mr. Neil Ashbaugh, Training and Development Specialist, Oberg Industries, Freeport, Armstrong County, PA. “We need to work together to build more awareness with our students, parents, educators, and business and civic leaders to show them the benefits of skills training and education. Family sustaining jobs are not a fantasy, but rather a reality when coupled with the right training and a passion for life-long learning.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. House passed legislation to help modernize and improve our nation’s workforce development system and help put Americans back to work. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (H.R. 803) reforms federal workforce training programs by: eliminating 15 duplicative programs, applying a single set of outcome metrics to federal workforce programs, aligning workforce development programs with local economic development and education initiatives, and enabling businesses to identify in-demand skills and connect workers with the opportunities to build those skills. H.R. 803 was first adopted by the U.S. House in March 2013 as the “SKILLS Act”. H.R. 803 was signed into law by President Obama.
These bills continue efforts in the U.S. House to lay the groundwork for a stronger economy and increased opportunities for all Americans. Legislation already passed by the House would: strengthen our water transportation networks; embrace American energy resources; lift barriers to clean renewable energy; give working families more flexibility and increase oversight of expensive federal regulations. Most of these bills remain stuck in the U.S. Senate.
Throughout the 113th Congress, House members have put their cards on the table and sent hundreds of bills to the Senate, waiting for them to pass their own versions so we eventually could come together to try and find some common ground. These proposals largely have been met with silence by the Senate and President Obama. Examples of jobs bills passed by the U.S. House may be reviewed here: http://www.speaker.gov/jobs.
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