U.S. Rep. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), co-chair of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, introduced last week legislation aimed at boosting transportation workforce training opportunities at nationwide community and technical colleges.
“A highly skilled workforce is necessary to revitalize our national transportation system,” Thompson said. “With more than 6 million open jobs, the demand for qualified workers is greater than ever. This bill will help us meet infrastructure demands, close our nation’s skills gap, and reward schools who have gone above and beyond by establishing Centers of Excellence.”
The Transportation Workforce Centers of Excellence Act would provide $50 million in competitive grants, which would be disbursed to Centers of Excellence in Transportation Workforce Training, consisting of a consortium of high-performing two-year colleges. The grant funds are to be used for the strengthening of education and training programs directly related to targeted transportation industries, including, but not limited to, manufacturing, operation, design, and infrastructure engineering.
Thompson introduced the legislation with U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), who said that investing in institutions that offer such training and education is a direct investment in America’s future.
“We must support these programs now to close the workforce gap and rebuild our national infrastructure,” Langevin said.
The legislation specifically prioritizes on-the-job training and work-based learning, supports dual enrollment programs to train high school students, and promotes partnership and collaboration among employers, state agencies, and other community partners to address training needs.