By Laura Walling, GII senior director of government affairs, advocacy & legislative affairs
A year after signing an Executive Order establishing the President’s National Council for the American Worker, President Trump has declared July as Pledge to America’s Workers Month. The Council, comprised of 14 federal agencies, is charged with developing a national strategy for training and reskilling workers for high-demand occupations and the industries of the future. The Council receives guidance from the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. The Advisory Board advises the Council on how the federal government can encourage the private sector and educational institutions to combat the skills crisis by investing in and increasing demand-driven education, training and re-training for American workers.
The Administration notes that the federal government cannot do this work alone. To that end, the Pledge to America’s Workers was launched as a call-to-action for states and the private sector to create new education and training opportunities to better serve the American worker and encourage private investment in workforce development. A bipartisan majority of governors and more than 280 companies and associations have signed the Pledge, committing to create nearly 10 million enhanced career and training opportunities for America’s workforce over the next five years.
During this inaugural Pledge to America’s Workers Month, the President and Administration “calls on more States and employers, both large and small, to sign the Pledge to strengthen the economy and ensure one of America’s greatest assets—its workforce—is prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow.”
Local Goodwill organizations are an integral part of the workforce system providing job training and employment services to 35.3 million people last year included 1.6 million individuals who received face-to-face services and 33.8 million people served via virtual means. People use Goodwill services to prepare for careers in fields such as financial services, computer programming and health care. They provide employment, job training and other community-based services for people who are working to build skills, advance careers and make better lives for themselves and their families.
Goodwill stands ready to continue to help people receive the skills they need to compete in the modern workforce and meet the needs of employers in their communities.
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