WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Representative Jill Tokuda introduced the bipartisan Creating Access to Rural Employment and Education for Resilience and Success (CAREERS) Act to address the skills gap and workforce shortage in rural communities. This legislation is co-led with Representative Nick Langworthy (NY-23).
“Hawai‘i has one of the highest costs of living in the country, which means that too many of our people are getting priced out of paradise. We need sustainable career pathways that lead to well-paying jobs that make it possible for our people to work, live, and thrive in rural and remote America. I am pleased to co-lead the CAREERS Act with my colleague Rep. Nick Langworthy to expand workforce training programs and create career pathways in our rural communities. By providing grants in key sectors such as public utilities, child care, agriculture, health care, manufacturing, and more, we will strengthen rural America’s ability to support and uplift their communities and our nation as a whole,” said Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02).
“Many businesses in rural areas, like those I represent in Western New York and the Southern Tier, are facing a challenge in finding skilled workers — resulting in too many vacancies and too few applicants,” said Congressman Langworthy (NY-23). “The CAREERS Act aims to close the skills gap by investing in pathway training programs and creating meaningful partnerships with private sector stakeholders across sectors — from manufacturing to healthcare. If enacted, this legislation will work to bolster rural economies and innovation, making them more competitive and sustainable well into the future.”
Specifically, the CAREERS Act would:
- Allow the Secretary of Agriculture to allocate funds within the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program (Title VI of the Farm Bill) to support career pathway programs or industry or sector partnerships in key industry sectors, including public utilities (telecommunications, broadband, water, wastewater, disposal, and electric supply services), conservation practices and management, health care, child care, manufacturing, agribusiness, and others.
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- Grant amounts are awarded competitively, with a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000 to eligible entities.
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- The Secretary has the flexibility to add additional sectors if a local workforce board deems that sector to be in high demand.
- Require the grant awardee to provide a report to the Secretary on the activities funded with the grant, including performance measures during the project period.
This legislation is supported by stakeholders across the country.
“The greatest challenge facing equipment dealers is the lack of skilled service technicians,” said Daniel B. Fisher, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Associated Equipment Distributors. “AED commends Congresswoman Tokuda and Congressman Langworthy for introducing the CAREER Act and addressing the persistent skills gap in rural communities. Their legislation will help create the pathways necessary to develop the workforce that businesses need to grow and prosper.”
“The unsustainable strain on our healthcare workforce is a critical issue for our nation, and we at the ATA and ATA Action support efforts to reduce the burden on our system and lend our support for the CAREERS Act. This funding would support career pathway programs to expand skills development for healthcare workers in rural communities, which would greatly benefit patients in these underserved communities. Our thanks to Representatives Tokuda and Langworthy, co-leads on this legislation, for their commitment to improving access to care for rural populations,” said Kyle Zebley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, American Telemedicine Association (ATA), and Executive Director, ATA Action.
“Recent broadband investment opportunities create a tremendous need to develop skilled telecommunications professionals to deploy networks. The Creating Access to Rural Employment and Education for Resilience and Success (CAREERS) Act expands access to workforce development opportunities into the telecommunications industry through USDA’s existing RISE Grant Program. NTCA applauds Congresswoman Tokuda and Congressman Langworthy for introducing this legislation. We hope this bill and focus on this critical issue will help in developing skilled workforces based in and committed to rural communities,” said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO, NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association.
"Grant opportunities to strengthen workforce training and development are essential to supporting quality employees and clinicians in places like the nation's 5,400 Rural Health Clinics," said Sarah Hohman, Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics. "We commend Rep. Tokuda and Rep. Langworthy for their leadership in taking tangible steps to address these significant challenges."
“The U.S. dairy industry supports more than 3 million American jobs that generate $42 billion in direct wages. In order to continue to grow and remain globally competitive, we need a strong, well-trained workforce. The CAREERS Act can help serve as a vehicle to train and develop people to be part of the dairy workforce of the future. IDFA is grateful to Reps. Tokuda and Langworthy for leading this effort to better prepare tomorrow’s workforce to support the United States’ vibrant dairy manufacturing sector,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association.
“Workforce development boards recognize the critical role of a skilled workforce in sustaining the economic vitality of our nation's communities. The CAREER Act offers a powerful bridge to closing skills gaps in rural communities. The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) is grateful for the introduction of this legislation, which will provide greater opportunity for more workers and learners in rural America to acquire the skills necessary for success in today’s fast-changing and dynamic economy,” said Bradford Turner-Little, CEO, National Association of Workforce Boards.
“We applaud Representatives Tokuda and Langworthy for their leadership in advancing policies like the CAREERS Act, which will help encourage rural Americans to explore family-sustaining careers and vocational opportunities beyond a traditional college education, like those available in the equipment manufacturing industry,” said Kip Eideberg, Association of Equipment Manufacturers Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations. “This additional support will help ensure both youth and adult learners in rural America have access to educational programs that match what their communities need and foster greater collaboration across the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.”
"Rural communities face particular challenges in preparing a skilled workforce to meet the diverse needs of their local economies. The CAREERS Act would help the industries within these communities support career pathway programs and sector partnerships to address the workforce development obstacles in rural America. ACTE is proud to endorse the bill and offer our support toward fostering growth across critical sectors of the American economy. We applaud the efforts from Representatives Tokuda and Langworthy for their commitment to the prosperity of skilled workers and rural communities nationwide," said LeAnn Curry, Association for Career and Technical Education Executive Director.
"I commend Representatives Tokuda and Langworthy and for their leadership in introducing the CAREERS Act," said National Rural Water Association Chief Executive Officer Matt Holmes. "This legislation is a timely response to the urgent need for skilled water and wastewater operators in rural America. By expanding the RISE program, the CAREERS Act will offer comprehensive training resources and enhance the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ability to bridge critical workforce development gaps. NRWA fully endorses this initiative, and we are eager to assist in its implementation to attract, train, and retain water and wastewater operators for small and rural communities throughout the nation, such as through our Registered Apprenticeship Program.”
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