Committee, Glen Thompson a republican of pennsylvania and democrat of illinois, i want to thank you both for being here this morning to talk to us about this issue. I just want to begin with defining what is career and Technical Education. Mr. Thompson, if you want to go first. Sure. Career and Technical Education is an education path that may involve certification course, training, maybe an associate degree, it really is about opportunity. Its estimated by 2020 as many as 6 million jobs will be open because of the skills gap where individuals are not qualified or trained to be able to fill these positions. E these are great family sustaining positions but they are positions that also drive our economy. Without these positions, we are going to face some difficult economic times. Career and Technical Education is basically skills based education is maybe the easiest way to summarize it. You two came together for legislation and the past and the house yesterday. What would your legislation do. This legislation does a couple things. A it does many things, but a couple in particular worth noting, it really moves a lot of the authority for career and Technical Education fromto washington. I think thats important for high school and Community College districts. The skills that are being taught need to be consistent with the ones in need in the local areas. The second big change that i want to tell your viewers about is that it requires that local employers be consulteded when the local School Districts are deciding what skills to train people on. Se it makes all the sense of thee world because at the end of the day, what congressman thompson and i are trying to do is basically get young people, as well as others in transition into a job. at the table. This requires that they are. Host is there money attached to your legislation . Guest there is. It is a reauthorization of the perkins act, longoverdue. It has been more than 10 years. The important thing to remember is that the tolls of career and Technical Education, the types of skillsbased education, we are familiar with them, everyone is at home is familiar with them, the welders, the paint brushes, the farm instruments, the stethoscopes. These are all examples. The perkins act, to put it into perspective, the iphone was unintended when the perkins act was reauthorized. Sohnology has evolved quickly. This is about preparing individuals to work in those technology careers. Technology careers. So it does. Every year it does increase they authorization levels over the course of the bill. To me, to us thats important. The return on investment, if you can take someone who come first of all you help a young person launch a successful career, maybe they dont learn so well in a traditional education setting that if you put one of those tools of cte and their hands they are inspired and to do so well. Maybe its a person who is unemployed or underemployed. The person living in poverty. You can see whether return investment is. If we can help them by providing better access and more effective skillsbased education, the return on investment is amazing. Host i want to encourage our viewers to call in with your questions about career and Technical Education. The phone numbers on your screen. Screen. While waiting for those calls, if each of you could describe what is happening in your ownte districts, your own Community Colleges and with thisst legislation would mean for those Community Tech schools and what other jobs like in your area . Guest share. I represent the west and northwest suburbs of chicago. In fact, one of glenn thompsonon sons one of my constituents. I hope their tune in. Host is that what started this bipartisan relationship . Guest before we came into it. Guest ill give you an example of the types of in demand positions we have. We had Something Like between 4050,000 hightech manufacturing jobs that are unfilled in whats called the ohare quarter, Ohare International airport quarter. And we also have a shortage of people that take whitecollar jobs. For instance, in cybersecurity and in actuarial science and claims analysis and a local insurance companies. So one of the programs that they have started which is very is ie interesting our Partnership Programs with a basically go to the local cumin to colleges and say hey, if you develop a curriculum, that would suit what we need in terms of actuarial science, we will help defray the cost of the students tuition and then in the afternoon they can work in our office and then at the end of the programs they end up with a certification in actuarial science. They end up with a, another piece of paper called a job offer letter. And so, and the commute a College Degree of these folkss e are really the types of folks that wer were trying to aim the cte programs at it i should also say that theyre going to be available to everybody regardless of what the country ctE High School or not. Yo thats another big change. Host what are the salaries for this kind of jobs . What are people starting out at an whats been the potential . Guest you know, its quite high. I think that they range anywhere from 40 60,000 as an entrylevel salary, and then it goes up from there. I know that in some professions they can go into the six figures within a couple, few years. But the really neat thing here, greta, is what were talking about our jobs where you becomel a specialist, not just a generalist. So youre less likely to belessl outsourced. You are more likely to be in demand for longer portion of your career. And also if you choose to go to a Fouryear College after youte get that initial certification, its very likely that your employer will help pay for that, maybe even graduate school if thats what is required. Host same questions to you about your district. Guest my district is 24 of the landmass of pennsylvania. It spread out. Key members from pennsylvania security some idea of the demographics of the state. And the types of jobs, our number one industry pennsylvania is agriculture, and agriculture is all about technology and innovation today. Really we are really where the ground center, the place with oil industry was born titusville pennsylvania is new one of my officers. I first commercial i will anywhere. We still have the longestt continuing operating oil refinery in the world. Most people are surprised by that. They think texas. We are very proud of fact we predate texas and that industry. But its also technology startups. We have a lot of new technology through, my alma mater headset university, all those folksey coming out with fouryear and secure degrees and postdoctorates. They are starting businesses and they need technicians to be able to do that work. Penn state has this great lunch box with a really help entrepreneurs to use intellectual information that they developed. And its traditional, what we traditionally think of also, the roofers, the builders, healthcare. Healthcare, were talking earlier, i dont care how you pay for healthcare. Bv thats obviously a huge debate today but the key thing for healthcare is do we have the available supply of qualified and trained individuals in our community to deliver that care . Career and Technical Education to help address that. Apprenticeship sort important part of our legislation and the bureau of labor statistics just issued some very interesting information i think that those career paths and apprenticeships, pays an average salary of 60,000, starting out. And then as raja said, we had some people after just a short period of time just views on that path, now, its the exception but can make over six figures working long hours, hard hours, but being rewarded for the skills that they bring that meets the needs. Host lets see what our views had to say. Encourage you to call in with your comments and questions about career and technicalal education or we will begin with the gel in new orleans, a democrat. Go ahead. Your question or comment. Caller good morning. I agree that there should be career and Technical Education taught in schools. In fact, years ago my father who was an educated did provide such training for young people who were not collegebound, and there were serotypes of courses that were taught in the schools for individuals who did not plan on going to college. So yes, we should go back to that. Bubut i would also like toli interject that if you will remember, president obama talked about the same thing. He encouraged the republicans to work with them on providing these types of programs for individuals. Because everyone was not going on to college. E. And just think about what could have been now going on if the republicans had worked with him on these ideas. Guest i think this is unfortunately it is a bipartisan issue. And yesterday i was so proud that our bill passed unanimously to the house of representatives. That never happens it these days. Iv we had Big Press Conference afterwards with members from both sides of the aisle comingth up and talking about the virtues of the bill. And so i agree that we should have probably been passing and of the bidding this law a long time ago, but we are here now. And thats what we can control and so im just so gratified that we are able to Work Together to send this to the senate, intent, its time for action incentive payout they take it up expeditiously. And then hopefully he gets signed into law. Our young people and others cant wait. Its time to get this ball moving. Trent what do you have some Senate Colleagues are willing to take the baton . Guest i think so. U thats what ive heard. Also let me say to the caller, she must be very proud of her dad. Because her dad made a difference in the lives of so many young people of launching successful careers because of what he did. It is a bipartisan issue. Ive been coach of the current Technical Education caucus for strong bipartisan caucus, congressman jim langevin from rhode island is my cochair of the caucus. Been work weve actually been working this issue for nine years, and we came very close last year. I have worked very closely with president obamas effective education, and this was an area that we agreed on the secretary of education. We had some good momentum. Ed a m we passed a similar bill last term, the 114th congress, 405five which was a fairly strong vote out of the house, especially in an election year, right . Unfortunately it bogged down to get it was the end of the with the senate and then didnt make it across the finish line. I was disappointed with that, but at the same time you see that as an opportunity. Raja i were able to Work Together to once again move thir forward. Weve made some minor refinements to build a particular opportunity to listen to stickles, make a little better. So it is a bipartisan issue and it has been. Host tennessee, independent. T caller how are yall doing what i want to thank you guys for coming up with an actual commonsense bill that actually make sense for a change for this country. The cou i really appreciate it and i figured i would let yall go on with what yall want to say. Thank you very much. Host let me go to jerry hughes in ohio, a democrat. Question or comment. Caller i just want to say that i never went to college. My high School Provided a class on woodworking, on metalworkingc on auto mechanics. I started the workforce when i was 14, learning how to work out in the fields in the produce departments here we raised produce. Ro i worked out there for 40 cents an hour. After i got out of, before i got him high school i had a job a few miles away from home working on a dairy farm. I was trained there on thatt dairy farm. I made it a point to be on time all the time and do my job better than anybody else, always argue better than anybody else. Went into the military, got into the seabees, learned heavy equipment operating, truck driving. Got out of there, became a herdsman on a dairy farm. From there i went to equipment operating on a feedlot in colorado. W i was trained on Service Manager in an auto garage. Host plus being a homecare provider. Host would you say you made a wage, a comfortable wage throughout your life . Ca caller i raised three children, put two children through college. Thr one became a computer tech, the other one is right now hes in charge of a science lab. Her childhood not want to go to college so we did not force her to. She successful in what shes. Doing. I own my own home, my own property, 20 acres of land. I think i was real successful. I even own a Trucking Company for a few years, well, 14 years. And thats how we learned. Host let me jump in because id like to ask the the congressman about how much emphasis is being put on career and Technical Education at the E High School level. So you have this legislation that impacts Community Colleges but if the children dont get exposure like jerry did too technical work, how will you ever know theyre interested in it . Guest i actually, first of all i applaud jerry for quite a career. Youve lived the american dream, so congratulations. I think that both congressman thompson and i would agree that people need to be exposed as part and age as appropriate. I think action within this legislation people down to seventh grade and start to be exposed. But the neat thing is we allow local authorities to submit plans that are suitable for their jurisdictions and what makes sense for the kids. But what i wanted to say is tht not, for your college is not for everybody, but in education is. Post secondary education of some kind, getting some kind of skill or credential or certification or temerity College Degree is absolutely necessary in todays Global Economy because a High School Diploma is not going to be enough. I think were trying to find pathways to that post secondary world to make sure that everybody has a chance to find a way into the middle class. Host do you have for your colleges in your district . Guest we give up for your colleges. This particular bill is primarily aimed at the committee college and high schools. Guest absolute. For having a very world large district im blessed with educational institutions, at the same time though we are not really, Community College are an important part of this that what jerry talked about, our secondary schools. This applies to our legislationn will apply to kids that are in school today but applies to adults at any point in life. Its not the necessary committee college here to go to. It could be apprenticeship a app program, support for onthejob training. E jerry is a great american. Hes a sailor. Hes a farmer and vice chair of the agriculture community. On the big fan of individuals like jerry. Hes an entrepreneur with what he did with his Trucking Company. It all started with that exposure to career and Technical Education. Its a pathway of success and it allows you, allows you to go, and yes, we do have, today ther, is, going back to when i was ino high school, maybe a little earlier than raja, theres a stigma and theres a bias, carer against skillsbase skillsbase, career and Technical Education. Of what this legislation does is it pushes awareness career and technical awareness down to the middle schools. Kids are exposed today too much to take a look at to understand this is a pathway to success in life, making a good family sustaining wage without a school that the size of a mortgage coming out. Part of it is not just access, its effectiveness. Bringing business and industry to the table so that we really drive the type of training and education around in demand jobs. Because at the end of the day, its not about the certificate. Its not about the diploma. A, its not about the graduation, which completion is incredibly important. T. Its about the job. With what weve done, implement the right way, when people go through this training, this education, they will be a good family sustaining chapter queen of the skills gap existed a so those jobs are out there. Host lets hear from raymond who is in Silver Spring maryland. Democrat, welcome to the conversation. Caller thank you for taking my call. A friend of mine on a Career Training institute host were having trouble hearing you. Its breaking up. You are at what . Caller i was saying aa friend of mine owns the Career Training institute. He trains train [inaudible] so he tells me that they have a lot of problems paying for the training. Some wanted to find out if the legislation has money that can help people train for, not saying a cspan job, which ise highly in demand, and the other problem is that its a high turnover rate in ause [inaudible] because they are not paid high enough. Host ive have congressman thompson take that one. Guest thats how penn state made its tuition money during my undergraduate. I worked as i can give the aun nursing assistant today. 11 to seven, and then for thean first year of college and then switched to a three to 11. It is those are wonderful jobs because you are serving people, older adults and people with disabilities. It is tough. Its hard work. Be ayes, this would be the persons act would be able to provide assistance to make the type of education more affordable. There is my knees today in other parts of money, a number of years ago we passed a bill that i was able to help write partsof of it, the workforce innovation opportunities act. The people who are unemployed, underemployed to go to their career links, there are federal dollars to assist with job training there. This, quite frankly, especially given the demographics today with how a population is aging. In most parts of our country,pe these types of caregivers like nurse assistant, certified nurse assistant are extremely important to have people in those positions. Host lets hear from bob. York, independent. Caller id like to thank both of you gentlemen. This is an excellent topic. To give you an idea that you can succeed on these programs, when i get discharged from the air force, i went to night school at a Community College because i wanted, i went into service right after high school. I went there five years of night school while i was working a j responsible job, and by employer thought it was great. I was promoted. I was able to help people. I have worked for 45 years, and in those 45 years ive mentors probably a couple hundred people and elyse ten15 people i got to go back to schools at night either to complete their twoyear associate degree or their fouryear bachelor degree. On top of that we moved to virginia and the company i worked for was so impressed that they offered me to go to James Madison university. Ition in and they paid for my tuition, books. I went to another five years of night school to complete my bachelors degree. And i just want to thank you guys, because i can see you take the same interest in the youth in trying to develop this to really help our country. I ended my last ten years and like remaking a sixfigure salary. Ea so this goes to show you, if you take the initiative, if you have the opportunity you can be successful and this is what our country needs. Host all right, bob. Guest i definitely want to hear congressman thompsons, its because of early this gentlemen may have come from his districtn what i can say is again, congratulations on an incredible career. Its really wonderful to hear career path such as yours. This is exactly what foxman thompson and are talking about this morning, which is today some 70 of High School Seniors are likely to go to college but a lot of people are not. And so we must have a pathway for them into the middle class and thats going to require thi type of skillsbased education and perhaps they will go on as a said before to a Fouryear College just like you did. On the employers time as you did. Did. But the point is that what ive seen in the study is that people who take up the skillsbased learning are more likely to be engaged so that they enjoy potentially going back to school and then applying those new skills again to a career. And hope that we many people just like you who benefit from this program. Guest bob, thanks for your service in the air force. You are an example of one of my principles of its not so important we start in life, its where we into. This type of legislation we are working on helps that glide path. Great example were coming out o the air force, by the way, my dad is a graduate of theraduate committee college, as you know was called wow when my dad and you went there. Today its college of technology. But my dad, out of the navy and was able to leverage his g. I. Bill and apprenticeship at copper and brass and became a tool and die maker, a great career and Technical Education, one that we need a lot more tool and die makers today. But it really is an example of, bob example in his life is really capitalizes this because its not once and then. With career and Technical Education, you get that initialo training, you get in, get a good paying job, your ketchup, work hard, support your family. But at some point we all desire maybe for a promotion to do better but you just, youre lacking some type of qualification or certification to do that. Career and Technical Education allows you to check back in. Many times the employers do support this because i need those individuals and they can help people achieve that. So you can get that promotion, do a little better by your family. Provide. Guest lets hear host lets hear from glenn i think it is in florida, republican. Caller i went to a trade school in chicago instead of going to high school. I got a good education, hands on. Three hours of shop every day that come into [inaudible] installation. I went through illinois bell for the 30 years. I spent 17 years of that teaching a course, then i retired and i came to u. S. Patents, went into my own business with my wife. We did this for 27 years and i finally retired and teachers had more fire in their belly than most people have in their wholeh body. It really helped me. I was in the Naval Reserve for 12 years. I got my education through correspondence. Host thank you for the story. The stories are great from all of you out there. He brings up one component of this that we havent talked toup and that the teachers. Are there enough teachers at committee college and what is the quality of them . Guest this is a good point. Again congratulations are quite a career. I think im in admiration of your callers this morning quite frankly. Thank you for your service. And thank you for calling in a somebody who received their education in chicago. The chicago area. So the teachers. Yes, there is a shortage of teachers in the cte area and im hoping some of the resources that were trying to provide through this particular bill will be utilized at the local level to hire the types of people they need. Theres a shortage in part because of what some people sit at the press conference yesterday, which is that these folks often times are in in demand careers come in the private sector. So to them, to woo them or courts in or to bring them into the classroom may require that they be paid a little bit more than others. And then secondly, the types of skills that you need to be taught is changing constantly. So my definition, theres not going to like a ready supply of x, Artificial Intelligence programmers, right . Because thats happening right now. And so we need to hire people to teach those types of skill sets, or cybersecurity which theres a huge shortage of people in. Host georgia, independent. Go ahead with your question or comment. Caller im 60 years old and i remember when i was going to school, even in seventh and eighth grade we as girls we learned. Caller which included cooking and selling, and the boys learned shop. When i went to high school they offered carpentry, auto mechanic, dry cleaning, cosmetology, barbering and clothing in addition to those classes if you wanted to go on to college. So it was both. It was a one or the other. It was both. I dont understand why did that change . Because now its like were going back when we should never stop that in the first place. Guest i couldnt agree more. Should not have been stopped in the first place. I think it was that overreaching buys in stigma. At one time our secondary career and Technical Education schools almost became, in certain places dumping grounds for students with behavior issues. The unfortunate trends that have happened, we are not due to look backwards and criticize. Were here to look forward and were just excited of the fact that a as a result of the work that were doing, and the work weve done, got to get this to the senate, a shameless plug to our friends in the senate, so we can get this to the president s desk because i know the president is supportive of this issue. We are going to be able to provide, and i love also how we have broken the gender barriers on these. Some of the best mechanics ive met, the best welders ive met our young ladies are just incredible. These are all skills, both genders. And the fact that we make it so the goal behind the congressman had mentioned we are providing more control and authority to local leaders and state leaders. It is very creative and innovative where you find this access to education. It will only get better with our legislation. It really does come down to the talent and inspired and instructor. The students today in middle school and junior hi, who are not yet in one of these programs will be, at some point will be tomorrows instructors. One thing weve heard a lot of feedback on is that this is often a system that used successfully in other countries. My district has the biggest concentration of swift countries in any in the country as well as Japanese Base countries. What those folks tell us, especially the swiss countrie companies and german companies, the apprenticeship and learn and earn model has been used very successfully to make sure young people are able to find. Their youth unemployment rates are a lot lower. They are able to maintain high wages and benefits despite the globalization and Technology Revolution that we are seeing. Were not reinventing the wheel. This is something thats triedandtrue. Its been used in the United States and we are trying to have a renaissance, a revival of thi this, and im not putting down for your colleges or universities, what whatever people want to do, let them do it but we need to give pathways. We are doing our very best to be able to make fouryear, and more than for your education affordable and assessable. There are many different pathways to success and theyre all valid. Theyre all important. We should Pay Attention to all of them. We believe for too long we have just not provided the attention and resources to current Technical Education that we should be. There something that congressman thompson said that i want to highlight with you, these current Technical Education high schools did become someplace where they sent certain students they thought werent somehow capable enough of being in the mainstream, but what were trying to do is bring career Technical Education into the mainstream. Even if you went on to college, lets say, you have exposure so you can see, maybe carpentry or Cyber Security is for me. Maybe its not. I know my wife would want me had to have taken some of th