Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that U.S. Department of Commerce, in conjunction with the White House, is accepting nominations for the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. 

“Since his inauguration, President Trump has sounded the alarm on the plight facing countless American workers and families,” said Secretary Ross. “Addressing the skills gap will not only help workers find gainful employment but also provides a boon to businesses whose growth has been constrained by the current labor market.”

On July 19, 2018, President Trump established the National Council for the American Worker through Executive Order 13845. Additionally, the Executive Order calls for the creation of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, a new 25-member Federal advisory committee that will provide information and recommendations to the National Council, including promising practices for the private sector and for educational institutions to combat the ongoing skills crisis.

The Advisory Board’s recommendations and counsel will help guide the National Council’s critical work in establishing a strategy to address growing workforce concerns. As part of this strategy, the Council will:

• Develop a national campaign to raise awareness of workforce issues, including the skills crisis and the importance of STEM education;
• Create a plan for recognizing companies that demonstrate excellence in workplace education, training, retraining, and workforce investment;
• Help expand the number of apprenticeships and encourage increased investment in training and re-training American workers, and;
• Recommend a specific course of action for increasing transparency related to the labor market success of people completing different education and job-training programs as well as to the skills that companies seek in job applicants.

The Advisory Board will draw upon the knowledge and expertise of its members to develop its vision for overhauling the United States’ education and training policies and practices. The Advisory Board members will represent the varied parts of the American economy, including private sector employers, labor advocates, educational institutions, and state governments, to offer a wide range of perspectives on how to address workforce issues plaguing communities across the country. 

The Trump Administration is also calling on American companies, associations, and foundations to take a workforce investment pledge for the advancement of current and future American workers. To learn more about the pledge to American workers, visit the White House’s website.

Please see the Federal Register Notice for further details on the application process for the Advisory Board.