Senate Bill Offers New Pathways to Good JOBS

By Mitch Coppes, Federal Government Affairs Manager, Goodwill Industries International

Preparing youth and adult learners for good-paying jobs in in-demand industries requires continued education and training beyond high school. But for many students, the lack of affordable options in traditional higher education has created challenges to enrollment and completion of the education and credentialing opportunities they need to achieve college and career success.

Goodwill believes that all students should be able to choose from a range of affordable education pathways, including career education, apprenticeships, adult education and occupational training, that will help them to be competitive in today’s job market and resiliently skilled for the future. In recognition of February as Career and Technical Education Month, we urge lawmakers in Congress to join Goodwill in advancing common sense policy solutions that will empower students to reach their career goals and support employers in recruiting and developing a highly skilled workforce.

The bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act was recently reintroduced in the U.S. Senate. The JOBS Act would extend Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in short-term training programs that lead to market-valued credentials. It would ensure that programs are rigorous and aligned with the workforce needs of employers. The reforms proposed in this bill will help open up education and training pathways to many nontraditional students, with a focus on preparing them for in-demand jobs.

Goodwill Industries International, Inc. endorses this important legislation. Join us in this effort and ask your Senators to support the JOBS Act today!