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Investing in Skills Will Help Workers and Grow Businesses
Today, the U.S. Department of Labor released the monthly jobs report for April. Employers added only 165,000 jobs during the month, well below the 250,000 jobs economists say is needed each month to reduce the unemployment rate . However, nearly 3.6 million jobs are going unfilled, in part, because employers can’t find workers with the skills to fill them.
The following quote regarding the April jobs report can be attributed to Rachel Unruh, associate director for National Skills Coalition:
“Today’s job report is frustrating for America’s workers and businesses. With the unemployment rate high and job growth stagnant, it appears Congress is more concerned about avoiding flight delays than getting people back to work. Instead, we find gridlock from Congress when it comes to important issues such as ending the damaging sequester that will make the job situation worse.
Instead of investing in jobs and our workers, Congress has made devastating cuts to employment and job training programs. Over the past three years, Congress has cut federal workforce funding by more than $1 billion. With the sequester in effect, workforce programs and services will face an additional $450 million in cuts this year, resulting in nearly two million fewer workers getting the training and support they need. This will widen the skills gap in this country, affecting both workers needing new skills and businesses that can’t grow or may close because they can’t find skilled workers.
America’s workers and businesses need Congress to get its priorities straight. Flight delays are an inconvenience. Not finding work is devastating to families. Not having skilled workers is crippling to businesses and our economy. Congress must do its job and end the sequester and put the priorities of America first.”
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