I'm writing this letter in order to encourage people who are laid-off or who have or have had a disability, to call their US Senators' & Representatives & ask that a bill be introduced in order to provide training for their constituents. We need training that will help us successfully transition back into the job market. As part of public policy, there needs to be a focus on lifting people up out of poverty, economic development, health, technology, etc. In the technology sector alone, there are many positions called 'new collar' jobs. Unfortunately, there aren't enough people with the necessary skills in order to qualify for these 'new collar' openings. And while - during a joint press conference with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel - President Trump spoke about workforce development & 5 million apprenticeships; this model is used abroad to address the youth unemployment rate. A model that may be a better solution is that of BitSource, a Pikeville, KY business. BitSource teaches coal miners who've been laid-off how to code. With this newly acquired skill, the door is open to be a computer programmer or designer or a support technician. Some may say the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, signed into law in 2014 was intended to put individuals back to work. But, something has gotten lost in translation. There is a chasm between what the act set out to do & what it does. This is why I'm asking people who are laid-off or have or have had a disability to call their members of Congress & request they introduce a bill that will actually be effective. Thank you.
