Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus, sent a letter Wednesday to House leadership and leaders on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee requesting the inclusion of workforce development investments in future infrastructure legislation.
Along with Thompson, a bipartisan coalition of 51 members of Congress signed the letter.
“Any successful infrastructure package will require investments into a well-trained and educated workforce. We need skilled workers who can carry out the mission from design, through construction and completion, and beyond,” Thompson said. “When Congress passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, we made it clear that career and technical education programs, including apprenticeships, are proven workforce development strategies. We must ensure these policies are in place to support a plan that provides resources to individuals who stand ready and able to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.”
According to estimates from the Brookings Institute, the United States will need approximately 3 million additional workers for infrastructure occupations over the next decade. A study from Georgetown University found that a $1 trillion infrastructure package could create more than 3.5 million more jobs that require more than a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree.
The letter highlights the impending workforce shortage and discusses strategies for mitigating it. The signers request that any infrastructure package considered in the House include a requirement that states dedicate a portion of the funding they receive to workforce development programs. The letter also discusses incentives for infrastructure-related businesses that invest in work-based learning and encourages providing funding for facility and equipment upgrades for CTE programs in infrastructure-related fields.