Perkins Act Reauthorization

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act continues to remain a vital element of support for career and technical education programs and aligns with SMRP’s mission to develop and educate the increasingly technical workforce. SMRP believes that a newly reauthorized Perkins Act, titled the Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act, is essential to ensuring CTE programs receive federal support for the development and access to high quality CTE programs throughout the United States.  READ MORE

WIOA

A strong technical workforce is vital to the U.S. economy. Employers need the right workers with the right skills at the right time to help drive innovation, increase productivity, and enable companies to remain globally competitive. Workforce development provides workers with the skills needed for employment and advancement opportunities. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a vital part of the structure and funding support needed for U.S. technical workers to remain an indispensible force in global business.  READ MORE

EARNS Act

The Effective Apprenticeships Rebuild National Skills (EARNS) Act seeks to pair on-the-job training with classroom instruction and allows workers to earn a wage while they learn. While lawmakers are considering solutions to address concerns on the skills gap, SMRP believes that apprenticeship programs represent an obvious solution to current and anticipated worker shortages.  READ MORE

HEOA

Postsecondary education is quickly becoming a necessary step to preparing for the workforce. Career and technical education (CTE) programs continue to be in demand as they consistently meet the needs of employers and students. The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, which served as the 10th reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, provides almost $50 billion in loans, grants, work-study, and institutional aid in support of postsecondary education. SMRP believes that the reauthorization of the HEOA is essential for ensuring that CTE remains a top priority in academics.  READ MORE

Letter to House and Senate CTE Caucus Co-Chairs

In January 2017, SMRP joined 84 organizations and businesses to send a letter to the four leaders of the respective House and Senate CTE Caucus urging them to make career and technical education a priority. Last year, the House overwhelmingly voted to approve a bipartisan reauthorization of Perkins, which is overdue for an overhaul and was last reauthorized in 2006. The bill would have altered the definition of those students considered "concentrators" in CTE, allowed states to withhold more federal funding for their own competitive grants and formulas, and permitted the education secretary to award grants to states aligning such programs with their individual workforce needs. But a companion Senate bill to reauthorize Perkins stalled after fighting between Democrats and Republicans about the proper role of the education secretary. Going in to the 115th Congress, CTE allies and advocates have held briefings at the U.S. Capitol to discuss solving workforce development issues under a new president and new session of Congress. 

Events: 

“Addressing the Nation’s Skills Gap Through Prioritizing Access to Industry Experts” - SMRP CTE Capitol Hill Briefing 

Letters:

Multiassociation Letter on the Paycheck Protection Program to Senators McConnell and Schumer 5-19-2020

The Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals Support for Workforce Development Initiatives - Letter to President Donald J. Trump 

Articles:

Shortcuts and Stalling is Harming our Workforce - The Hill 

SMRP Members Head to D.C. to Discuss Issues Facing Manufacturing Workforce - Plant Services

SMRP Fly-In To Discuss Issues Facing U.S. Manufacturing Workforce - IMPO

The Economy of Manufacturing and Community - The Hill

Career and Technical Education Advocates Pushing for Changes Under Trump - EdWeek