Blog post by Steven Meyers, Director of Outreach and Communications, SelectUSA

The U.S. economy is the best shape since the turn of the 21^st century. Unemployment has reached a rare low of 3.9 percent, wages are rising, and the international consensus is that the U.S. market is one of reliability and confidence. Indeed, there has never been a better time to invest in the United States and its workers.

And yet, millions of American workers are at risk of being left behind in the global 21^st century economy. Adapting and flourishing in the new economy will require innovative approaches to job training, education, and economic development.

Workforce development is not only a necessity. It also falls at the intersection of multiple government focuses, from collaborating with countries like Switzerland—where apprenticeships are well-established and common—to programs designed to reduce recidivism, such as the Department of Justice’s UNICOR program. Using an all-encompassing strategy, the Trump Administration is focused on creating good-paying jobs for millions of Americans.

This is why President Trump issued an executive order calling for a multi-department effort to expand apprenticeships in the United States. Specifically, the order created the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, a Department of Labor-led body of industry leaders and government officials. On May 10, 2018, the Task Force presented its findings to the President, recommending an increase in “work-and-learn models,” reforms to the funding process, an awareness campaign, and an expansion of apprenticeships in new industries.

Next month, workforce development will be a central focus of the 2018 SelectUSA Investment Summit, the top foreign direct investment event in the United States. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta will lead a panel on the subject with an emphasis on utilizing America’s most valuable economic resource: one of the most skilled and educated workforces in the world.

The Investment Summit joins U.S. economic developers and service providers with international business investors who are ready to establish or expand operations in the United States. Join SelectUSA, June 20-22, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This summer, we invite you to invest, grow, and succeed in the United States.