Welcome to the Trump administration's 'workforce development week'


While the Trump administration's "infrastructure week" might have been buried in the landslide of news over former FBI Director James Comey's testimony, the White House is giving themed weeks another go with "workforce development week," beginning Monday. Spearheaded by Ivanka Trump, the week is intended to highlight a reorganization of government job training programs and promote new policies that will make it easier for businesses to create and expand apprenticeship programs, CBS News reports.
"The reality is that there are still Americans seeking employment despite low unemployment rates, and companies are struggling to fill vacancies for positions that require varied levels of skills and training," Ivanka Trump said. "So the Trump administration is committed to working very closely to close the skills gap."
Ivanka Trump additionally cited her time in Germany as inspiration for the program; she visited an apprenticeship training center in the country in April. "A skill-based education is an enormous priority [for the White House]," she said at the time, adding: "Germany has been blazing the path."
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To promote the agenda, the president, first daughter, and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta will visit classrooms at Waukesha County Technical College in Wisconsin with Gov. Scott Walker (R) on Tuesday. Trump is expected to make a policy speech on the topic of workforce development on Wednesday, and Ivanka Trump will host CEOs for a round table discussion. On Thursday, the president, Ivanka Trump, Acosta, and Vice President Mike Pence will host eight state governors to talk about workforce development.
Watch Ivanka Trump introduce the plans on Fox & Friends below. Jeva Lange
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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