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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, National Skills Coalition CEO Andy Van Kleunen praised President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget for focusing on increasing access to skills training:
“This is a robust, jobs-driven budget that would be a game changer if implemented.
“Though the economy is improving, employers still struggle to find workers to fill their open positions, particularly for middle-skill jobs requiring more than a high school diploma but not a four-year degree. This presidential budget, more than any before it, focuses federal investments on closing the skills gap—something our coalition has been pushing for years.
“Last year Congress did its part by passing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which supports better alignment of federal workforce programs and demand-driven strategies to address the skills gap. The president’s budget builds on this bipartisan consensus by significantly expanding support for sector partnerships, which have been so successful at making sure training results in employment. Other investments, such as doubling apprenticeships and helping youth find career paths, fill a great need and will help businesses fill their ranks as they grow.
“The education and training investments contained in this budget represent a huge step forward. Taken together, they help set a course for getting more U.S. workers prepared for the jobs businesses have available today and will need in the future.”
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