WASHINGTON – ITI called on Congress to pass bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to educate students with the skills and education needed to pursue good-paying technical jobs in information technology and advanced manufacturing.

“Tech companies and businesses are ready to hire, but we cannot find enough skilled workers to fill the 3.3 million open STEM-related jobs here in the US,” ITI president and CEO Dean Garfield said. “Our companies are investing tens of millions of dollars on workforce training programs, but our efforts alone cannot meet the increasing demand until policymakers step up their efforts to help bridge the skills gap for Americans that want these good paying jobs. That is why we support reauthorizing the Perkins Act and modernizing it so students can get the education and skills needed to pursue careers in high-demand industries and technical fields.”

In a letter sent to lawmakers today, Garfield said the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R.  2353) provides a needed opportunity for young people to gain the skills companies say are needed to be successful in today’s workforce.

Garfield says the challenge is even greater for small businesses, as employers seek to leverage technology in their enterprises.

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