Policymaker Perspectives: A Discussion with Representative Brett Guthrie

Policymaker Perspectives: A Discussion with Representative Brett Guthrie

Policymaker Perspectives is a discussion series between ACTE and federal policymakers. It is intended to allow CTE professionals to hear directly from policymakers about their priorities and the work taking place in Washington to strengthen the CTE ecosystem.

Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) was first elected in 2008 and represents Kentucky’s Second Congressional District, which begins just south of Louisville, extends all the way to Bowling Green, and reaches Owensboro and Nicholasville on the district’s western and eastern edges, respectively. He is a graduate of West Point and Yale University, and is the former vice president of an automotive parts manufacturing business that was started by his father. Before his election to Congress, Rep. Guthrie served in the Kentucky Senate for a decade.

In Congress, Rep. Guthrie has made workforce and education issues a priority. He was an original cosponsor of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in 2014, and was a sponsor of the Perkins reauthorization bill that passed the House in 2017. He is a member of the Congressional CTE Caucus. The Congressman serves on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, where he chairs the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee. He also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and is an assistant whip for the Republican Conference.

Congressman Guthrie and his wife, Beth, have three children. ACTE recently spoke with Representative Guthrie as part of our Policymaker Perspectives discussion series.

----------------

ACTE: Prior to your public service, you were vice president of a manufacturing company. In 2012, one in six private-sector jobs was in manufacturing, which accounted for 12 percent of the nation’s GDP. Estimates show that by 2020, more than half of manufacturing jobs will require some type of postsecondary degree. Based on your experience in industry and in Congress, what can be done to ensure people are equipped with the skills they need in the 21st century economy – both in manufacturing and beyond?

Representative Guthrie: Something I hear over and over again from employers in the Second District is that if someone has the right skill set, they would hire that person immediately – whether or not they were even hiring in the first place. Technical skills are in high demand throughout the country, so we need to make it possible for people to get these skills and meet the demand. For someone who works at a factory and has a family but never went to college, the idea of going to school can seem daunting. Some of the ways we can help both traditional and nontraditional students alike are year-round Pell grants, apprenticeship programs, and offering class credit for experience. There is a significant population of workers who would jump at the chance for further education but who do not fit the mold of traditional four-year institutions.

ACTE: In October, you co-authored an op-ed titled, “Closing the Cyber Skills Gap.” In it, you raised the idea of recruiting military veterans for cyber careers and improving partnerships between industry and education institutions. You have a unique perspective as both a veteran and someone who worked in industry. How can we increase opportunity for veterans in CTE fields? How can we strengthen connections between industry and education?

Representative Guthrie: Our military is made up of millions of dedicated Americans who all play a specific role in defending and protecting our country. Those specific roles are often incredibly technical in nature – engineers, mechanics, and pilots, for example. When workers who have already gone through extensive technical training through the military want to fill positions in the private sector requiring technical skills, there should be a process for them to be able to do so without simply retaking all the required classes as a civilian. We need to make professional certification and skills training programs more flexible to accommodate these types of transitioning workers. The dedicated men and women of the Armed Forces are exactly the type of leaders we want in our civilian workforce when they complete their service.

ACTE: You are the sponsor of the “Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act,” a bill that would require annual – not just entrance – counseling for students at institutions of higher education. What was the impetus for this bill and why is it important?

Representative Guthrie Too many young adults are drowning in student debt, which places a drag on our economy because the longer it takes to pay off the debt, the longer it takes for them to buy a home, start a business, etc. Oftentimes, the ones who have the most debt are the ones who completed a semester or two of higher education and then stopped – so they don’t have the benefit of a degree to help them pay off their student loans. By helping students manage their money more strategically throughout their higher education, we can set students up for success once they enter the workforce.

ACTE: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce passed the "Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act" in December. As a cosponsor of this higher education bill, what impact do you believe the PROSPER Act will have on postsecondary CTE students and educators?

Representative Guthrie: If signed into law, the PROSPER Act would make higher education more accessible for both traditional and nontraditional students, whether they pursue a typical four-year degree or take a nontraditional track such as a professional certification program. If a high school CTE student wants to get into an apprenticeship to help him learn new skills and launch his career, the PROSPER Act will help him to do so. If a single mom who possesses certain skills wants to go back to school, the PROSPER Act will help her go to an accelerated course and get credit for the skills she already has. CTE programs have been great for our high schoolers in Kentucky, and we wanted to continue to support that progress through the PROSPER Act.