Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Co-Chair of the New Economy Task Force, Asks Community Colleges to Detail the Skills Gap in the American Work Force

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, co-chair of the House Democratic Caucus New Economy Task Force, asked community colleges to specify how they are addressing the skills gap in the American workforce with the goal of gathering new information that will help guide policy discussions on the issue in Congress. This effort follows Krishnamoorthi's previous efforts to close the skills gap through his bill, the Thompson-Krishnamoorthi Act which would strengthen and modernize career and technical education, which passed the House in June.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi asked community colleges to provide information on the skills being taught in educational institutions and how federal policy could help remedy the disparities between the skills workers currently have and the skills sought by companies for the jobs of tomorrow.

"Preparing for the economy of the future means preparing our workforce and that's why the other members of the New Economy Task Force and I asked community colleges for their insights in closing the skills gap," said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. "We need make sure every student has the skills necessary not just to get a job, but to build a career."

Despite 6.8 million Americans currently seeking jobs in the U.S., a recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that 45 percent of small business owners said they were unable to find qualified applicants to fill job openings. With a rapidly changing economy and new challenges facing American workers, the New Economy Task Force will take a forward-leaning approach to job growth, looking at rapidly advancing technology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and ensuring workers are trained for the jobs of tomorrow. For more information on the task force, please visit: www.dems.gov/jobsforamerica.