Today, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump announced the 25 members of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. Established under Executive Order 13845, this Board will work directly with the National Council for the American Worker, leveraging the knowledge of its members to develop and implement a strategy to revamp the American workforce to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.

“President Trump is the dynamic ally that our workforce has needed in the White House for decades,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “Under his guidance, the Advisory Board will work in coordination with the National Council for the American Worker to solve the pressing issues facing American workers and families each day.”

“This Administration is committed to making sure all Americans can participate in the opportunities created by the booming economy. I look forward to working with this exceptional and committed group of leaders to advance the goals of the National Council for the American Worker and ensure inclusive growth,” said Ivanka Trump. “We want all Americans to have the skills and opportunities to secure good paying jobs and successfully navigate technological disruptions and the rapidly changing nature of work.”

The Advisory Board, co-chaired by Secretary Ross and Ivanka Trump, brings together members from diverse backgrounds including the private sector, educational institutions, and state and local governments. The members will provide varied perspectives on workforce issues facing communities and businesses across the country, while raising awareness of multiple pathways for American workers to obtain family-sustaining careers. The members’ terms last until July 2020.

The members of the Board include:

Jay Box, President, Kentucky Community and Technical College System

Walter Bumphus, President & CEO, American Association of Community Colleges

Jim Clark, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Tim Cook, CEO, Apple

Tom Donohue, CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Juanita Duggan, President & CEO, National Federation for Independent Business

Elizabeth Goettl, President & CEO, Cristo Rey Network

Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President, & CEO, Lockheed Martin

Eric Holcomb, Governor, Indiana

Barbara Humpton, CEO, Siemens USA

Al Kelly, CEO, Visa

Vi Lyles, Mayor, Charlotte, North Carolina

Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP America

Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building and Trades Unions

Doug McMillon, President & CEO, Walmart

Craig Menear, Chairman, President, & CEO, Home Depot

Michael Piwowar, Executive Director, Milken Institute

Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors University

Kim Reynolds, Governor, Iowa

Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President, & CEO, IBM

Scott Sanders, Executive Director, National Association of State Workforce Agencies

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President & CEO, Society for Human Resource Management

Jay Timmons, President & CEO, National Association of Manufacturers

Sheree Utash, President, WSU Tech

Marianne Wanamaker, Professor, University of Tennessee

Under the Trump Economy there are currently a record 7.3 million job openings, well exceeding the number of people unemployed. This presents a mismatch between the skills needed and those being taught, requiring immediate attention to help more Americans enter the workforce.

On July 19, 2018, President Donald J. Trump established the National Council for the American Worker through Executive Order 13845. The Department of Commerce is charged with appointing and administering a 25-member board that will provide information and recommendations to the National Council. On August 30, 2018, Secretary Ross announced that the Department of Commerce was accepting nominations for this Advisory Board.

The Advisory Board’s recommendations will help guide the National Council’s critical work in establishing a strategy to ensure that America’s students and workers have access to affordable, relevant, and innovative education and job training that will equip them to compete and win in the global economy. As part of this strategy, the Advisory Board will assist in:

• Developing a national campaign promoting multiple education and training pathways that lead to family sustaining careers;
• Recommending a specific course of action for improving labor market data to better match American workers and students with the skills and competencies employers demand;
• Identifying strategies to improve private sector investments in American students and workers to establish a culture of lifelong learning; and

Increasing transparency and outcomes of education and job training programs, as well as enhancing skills-based hiring to better identify the needs companies seek in job applicants.