Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, has introduced a bipartisan bill along with her colleagues that addresses “the growing skills gap in the technology sector” with the expansion and investment in apprenticeship programs using existing taxpayer funds, according to a press release from her office.
The “Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology Act” was co-authored by Reps. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Mia Love, R-Utah. Companion legislation was introduced in the senate by Sens. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Cory Gardner, R-Colo.
“It’s critical that residents in Southwest Washington receive the skill training and education they need to fill open job positions right here. Our tech industry is strong — yet the employers I meet with are struggling to find qualified candidates,” Herrera Beutler said in the release. “This bill seeks to alleviate some of the pressure employers face in hiring these skilled jobs. It also gives workers quality, on-the-job training; a very marketable skill set; and hopefully a good-paying job.”
In 2016, the technology sector contributed more than $1 trillion to the nation’s economy, employed more than 7 million workers and added over 100,000 new jobs, according to the release. During that same time, there were an estimated 500,000 job openings in any given 90-day period.
