Sen. Kaine hears employers' and educators' concerns, strategies for workforce shortage
FISHERSVILLE – U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine met with local educators, officials and business representatives in Fishersville Thursday to discuss career and technical education and workforce development.
Kaine told attendees at the BRITE Transit facility he was there to gather ideas and advice for honing federal policy. Several common themes emerged as participants discussed the challenges they face in training and recruiting employees, including misconceptions and stigma surrounding skilled trades and some young workers’ lack of “soft skills” like punctuality and teamwork.
“This is my goal as the son of an iron worker and [as] a guy who ran a vocational school in Honduras,” Kaine said. “I want to value our colleges, but I also want to value and encourage high-quality career and technical education.”
Kaine, who co-founded the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus in 2014, recently re-introduced the bipartisan Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act proposal with Sen. Rob Portman, R-OH, he told the group.
Read more: https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/2019/04/25/sen-tim-kaine-hosts-workforce-development-and-technical-education-roundtable/3576463002/
(Staunton News Leader)
