WASHINGTON, D.C. –  As Dr. Jill Biden and U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis visit industry sector-partnerships in Ohio today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) called for the passage of his bipartisan Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act, which would help unemployed workers train for high-tech jobs in their region. Dr. Biden and Sec. Solis will visit Columbus, Centerville, and Cincinnati to kick off their “Community College to Career” bus tour.

“It’s unacceptable that they are more than 80,000 unfilled jobs in our state. With too many Ohioans still unable to find work, we should be doing all that we can to ensure that Ohio workers are qualified to fill Ohio jobs,” Brown said. “I’m glad Dr. Biden and Sec. Solis chose Ohio to kick-off their bus tour because of the many successful clusters-based partnerships that are training Ohio’s skilled workforce for jobs in industries like biotechnology, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.”

Dr. Biden and Sec. Solis will visit the Columbus State Community College Center for Workforce Development, tour the production line at DG Medical in Centerville, and visit Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

Brown visited Cincinnati State Technical and Community College last month to highlight an industry-sector jobs program that has trained more than 400 unemployed Ohioans for jobs in the emerging bioscience industry. Brown, who helped secure federal resources to help fund worker training in Cincinnati, was joined by a formerly-underemployed worker who graduated from the program and now works at DG Medical in Centerville.

Brown also visited Dayton in October 2010 to meet with displaced auto workers participating in an advanced manufacturing class at Sinclair Community College. Workers in the program receive advanced manufacturing training at the school for a new career; the college’s advanced manufacturing curriculum is industry-driven and focused to prepare students for work in both large and small manufacturers.

The SECTORS Act is a critical bill to train workers for skilled jobs in emerging industries like clean energy. Despite the nation’s 8.3 percent unemployment rate, there is still demand in today’s labor market for skilled workers. This is particularly true for “middle-skill” jobs that require more than a high school degree but less than a four-year college degree. These jobs make up nearly half of America's labor market and provide good compensation for workers.

By tailoring workforce development efforts at community colleges to the needs of regional, high-growth industries, more workers could receive placements and more businesses could be attracted to a region based on a “clusters” approach. The SECTORS Act would organize stakeholders connected to a regional industry, including business and labor leaders, education and training providers, and local workforce and education system administrators, to develop plans for growing that industry.

A new Government Accountability Office report, that highlighted a Cincinnati healthcare sector partnership, found employers who participated in the sector partnership realized about $4,900 in cost savings per worker hired.

The SECTORS Act addresses the disparity between high unemployment rates and a shortage of skilled workers for many emerging industries by providing grants for sector partnerships among institutions of higher education, industry, organized labor, and workforce boards. These partnerships would create customized solutions for specific industries at the regional level. A sector approach can focus on the dual goals of promoting the long-term competitiveness of industries and advancing employment opportunities for workers.

The SECTORS Act would organize stakeholders connected to a regional industry—multiple firms, unions, education and training providers, and local workforce and education system administrators—to develop plans for growing that industry. Eligible entities would be able to apply for a one year planning grant of up to $250,000 and a three-year implementation grant of up to $2.5 million.

As a member of the Senate Manufacturing Caucus, Brown has introduced a package of key legislative proposals aimed at bolstering the competiveness of U.S. manufacturers and boosting domestic manufacturing. He also serves as a member of the President’s Export Council, working to advance the National Export Initiative (NEI) and reach President Barack Obama's goal to double exports over the next five years.

 

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