Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) cosponsored the Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology (CHANCE in Tech) Act.
“As I travel across Minnesota, employers often express their frustration with the current skills gap and worker shortage facing our state and the nation as a whole, especially as the tech sector expands in Minnesota,” said Emmer. “As of April, more than 15,000 jobs in Minnesota’s technology sector remained unfilled – jobs with average annual salaries of nearly $100,000. I have had the opportunity to tour some of the apprenticeship programs and private-public partnerships in the great state of Minnesota and it is clear these programs are going to be the key to solving the skills gap currently plaguing our nation. I am proud to cosponsor the CHANCE in Tech Act to foster the creation of these private-public partnerships and cultivate new apprenticeship programs so that the generation of tomorrow has access to education that will bring this nation fully into the 21st century and beyond.”
“The U.S. is expected to have 1.8 million unfilled tech jobs by 2024. The deficit is not because of a lack of desire by American workers, but a dearth of workers with the necessary IT skills,” said Elizabeth Hyman, CompTIA’s Executive Vice President of Public Advocacy. “If neglected, the IT skills gap will affect our country’s ability to protect national security interests and to compete economically on the global stage. The CHANCE in Tech Act introduced today will address the growing IT talent challenge by encouraging public-private funding for apprenticeship programs in the technology sector and providing students with the necessary skills to compete in the 21st Century workforce.”
The CHANCE in Tech Act will direct the Department of Labor to assist in the promotion and development of access to apprenticeships in the technology industry. The CHANCE in Tech Act is H.R. 3174. Click here to read the full text.
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