Reinvesting in the American Workforce

By R. Alexander Acosta, Secretary of Labor for the United States

“We pledge to invest in both students and workers by providing opportunities for education and training that will help more Americans thrive in the modern workplace.” That is a quote from the “Pledge to America’s Workers,” which is part of the White House’s new workforce initiative launched this week. President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. The council will work on a national campaign to promote investment in our nation’s workforce. The board will consist of approximately 25 leaders from the private, not-for-profit, and public sectors who will offer their expertise and advice for smart policy development.

The time to invest in the American workforce is now. Our nation’s economy is booming. Since the president’s election, job creators have added 3.7 million new jobs. More Americans, nearly 156 million, are working than ever before. America has more open jobs than job seekers for the first time since tracking started in 2000, which is good news for Americans currently searching for jobs and those who are interested in returning to the workforce. The national unemployment rate reached an 18-year low. New record low unemployment rates were set for African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans. Bureaucratic red tape can present significant barriers to work, which is why the Trump administration is restoring a commonsense approach to regulation. Workplace regulation should focus on protecting health and safety.

On Friday, I appreciated visiting Boeing in North Charleston to hear about how tax cuts, commonsense regulation and workforce investment is creating more opportunity locally. Boeing has stepped up to sign the Pledge to America’s Workers, committing to invest in South Carolina employees and those across the country. Boeing’s announcement is part of a pledge made this week at the White House by companies, trade associations and labor to provide opportunities for education and training to nearly 4 million American workers – and this number will surely grow.

Shared from Whitehouse.gov

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