Political Quotes

“I thank Chairman Smith for yielding me the time. I rise in support of H.R. 5509, the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act. This bill takes important steps in addressing the growing need for a diverse and technically trained STEM workforce. Technological advances have transformed the workplace with almost 20 percent of all jobs in the U.S. economy requiring some level of STEM training. These jobs are expected to grow nearly 9 percent over the next decade, faster than any other employment category; and, of course, we know these are also higher paying jobs, and we want more women and a more diverse workforce here, also. Unfortunately, we also know that we have been failing to keep students in the STEM pipeline. Almost half of all students who start in a STEM major do not graduate with one. Of those who do graduate with a STE degree, only half go on to a career in a STEM field. It is essential we address these challenges in order to ensure U.S. competitiveness in the global economy. In February, I chaired a Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing, which looked at innovative STEM education and workforce training models from across the country. These models demonstrated how apprenticeships, mentoring, and on-the-job training are used to successfully bridge STEM skills gaps.…”