James Comer: “Near the end of last week, I had the privilege of being back home in Kentucky and, as I try to do often, visit with…”

“Near the end of last week, I had the privilege of being back home in Kentucky and, as I try to do often, visit with constituents and see some of the exciting programs underway in the First Congressional District. While stopping in the city of Paducah, I had the opportunity to see some of the life-changing workforce development opportunities becoming available to our citizens. In a time when we have more available jobs than qualified workers to fill them, both the McCracken County Jail and Paducah's school system are stepping up to fill the void. At the local jail, I saw the great work they are doing to provide low-level inmates with a pathway to becoming productive members of society. The training programs they are providing for welding and HVAC training will help fill critical workforce gaps and reduce incarceration rates over the long term. Once operational, the Paducah Innovation Hub will house technical classes like carpentry, welding, and engineering. I was excited to see the construction of this new innovative facility, which will be a model for education moving forward. The old model of 4-year degrees and piles of student loan debt are not the answer for moving forward in education. Instead, we must emphasize certificates and skills training. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling my district and seeing firsthand the need for a more skills- based education system moving forward.…”