Political Quotes

“I rise in support of S. 1361, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, of which I am a proud cosponsor. With this legislation, the United States will begin to benefit from a national network of school-to-work transition programs, which many other industrialized countries have used for decades. The problem My State of California is quickly moving toward a high-skill, high-wage economy, creating a tremendous need for improved school-to-work programs. In California, it has become increasingly difficult for students without strong work skills or advanced degrees to find good jobs. And yet, most high school curricula and Federal programs are still geared toward college-bound youth; high schools have not been encouraged to engage the interests or address the needs of students who are at risk of dropping out or who are not interested in working toward a bachelor's degree. Instead, these young people typically float from low-wage job to low-wage job, sometimes not gaining full-time employment with full benefits for a number of years. As the skills demanded in many California workplaces have increased in complexity, employers have been forced to hire workers from other countries or provide their own in-house training programs, because there are so few young people who are prepared to enter these jobs in the computer industry, health care, graphics and printing, and tourism.”