Inauguration addresses set the tone for a presidency. They preview a president’s priorities for the next four years, drawing the realities of today and painting a vivid picture of a better tomorrow.
Some of the most memorable presidential inauguration speeches provided hope and urgency during seminal points in history. Consider President Abraham Lincoln’s call near the end of the Civil War to “strive on to finish the work we are in.” Or President Kennedy’s iconic line, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country,” as the mid-twentieth century’s civil rights movement and anti-war protests rightfully ignited the national landscape.
On January 20, all eyes will be on newly elected President Trump as he delivers his second term’s inauguration speech to a deeply polarized country. His campaign’s platform and recent comments suggest he might tackle various politically charged issues—from immigration to the public safety net to culture war topics like transgender rights and abortion, among others.
Yet how will he speak to the frustrations of millions of working people who voted from their economic anxieties during the 2024 elections, despite evidence that the economy has performed relatively well in recent times across many measures?
More importantly, what should President Trump say about the public policy needs of working people and the small and mid-sized local businesses that drive our economy?
One place to start would be to acknowledge that millions of jobs driving our economy — from construction and utilities to healthcare and more — require a high school diploma but not a four-year degree. To succeed in these and other job sectors, and for the economy to proper, these workers must have fair access to affordable skills training, pathways to quality jobs, and essential supportive services like childcare, long-term care, and transportation.
Unfortunately, only 43 percent currently do, creating a large-scale jobs mismatch where the workforce and postsecondary education systems meant to support these working people remains out of reach, unaffordable to many or simply nonexistent in certain areas. This includes, as key examples, registered apprenticeships and other work-based learning programs, community college, short-term training, and a broad range of workforce development programs and services that help job seekers access employment, education, training, and supportive services.
Government must play a role in properly resources and expanding these types of supports, and President Trump’s speech could describe how he will lead the charge.
He could commit to better funding the public workforce system by signaling his support for reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) — the primary law that governs workforce training in the U.S. Investing in programs that provide equitable, high-quality skills training, supportive services, and pathways to quality jobs would strengthen the system’s impact on both workers and employers. Despite its profound value, WIOA reauthorization fell short of moving forward during the December funding package negotiations in Congress—yet the Trump-Vance administration could push it over the finish line.
Second, Trump could signal his support for ensuring that cost no longer be a barrier to training by supporting the bipartisan JOBS Act, which expands access to Pell Grants for individuals in short-term education and training programs. Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education, already supports this policy, saying, ““The country is facing a historic labor shortage, and a multiyear degree program is not necessary for many Americans to obtain high-paying, fulfilling careers.”
Trump could also tout the value of career pathways that lead to student and worker success by backing critical bills such as the Gateways to Careers Act, the Access to Careers Act, and the BUILD Act, among other federal measures. And he could prioritize industry partnerships that connect workers with small businesses and employers in key industries. Legislation like the SECTORS Act, the PARTNERS Act, and reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act would help expand these partnerships and improve apprenticeship programs.
Finally, Trump could acknowledge the reality that today’s student population is more diverse than ever before—and meeting their needs requires a modernized federal policy framework for education and workforce development. Many learners are no longer following a traditional high school-to-college pathway. Instead, they are working adults, part-time workers, parents, family caregivers, people of color, younger and older workers, and immigrants.
Ensuring their success in postsecondary education would require dedicating resources to address the unique employment and education barriers they face. But it starts with naming that these demographic groups exist, personifying them for the many who will witness Trump’s address.
Recent research from National Skills Coalition shows that skills training is one of the most popular economic policy proposals. Eighty-two percent of voters support increasing government funding for skills training in America, and that includes large percentages of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. And public support has grown; the likeliness of voters to support a candidate who champions investments in skills training increased from 59% in 2019 to 69% in 2024.
President Trump has an opportunity on January 20 to unite the country on a set of proven government reforms that speak to what voters across the aisle already want.
What better way to kick off another term?
