WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23) highlighted how a booming economy after tax cuts requires more workers and his efforts to help people leave welfare by giving them a hand up to good paying jobs.
“With more than 6.3 million Americans looking for a job compared to the 6.7 million job openings nationwide it is vitally important we continue to develop our workforce so our economy can continue to grow,” Tom said. “We care about ensuring people have a fair shot at entering the workforce with the skills they need to succeed.”
Tom introduced the Helping Americans Succeed by Measuring Outcomes Act to help people leave welfare for jobs and move up the economic ladder. This legislation was included in the recent JOBS for Success Act - the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Nearly 1 in 5 working Americans have a job which didn’t exist in 1980. Such rapid change is one reason 6.6 million U.S. jobs are currently unfilled. Many of these jobs require skills training, but not a college degree. Yet for far too long, both the public and the private sectors have failed to develop innovative and effective training programs.
Job training has to be a business-led, market-driven system to improve workforce quality which aligns with local businesses’ and workers’ needs.
