ACTE’s Public Policy Department heard from Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson for this edition of Policymaker Perspectives. Rep. Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District, and he was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2008. He is currently serving his fifth term as a co-chair of the House Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus.
Rep. Thompson currently serves as the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and is a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
Rep. Thompson was the lead sponsor of H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which was signed into law on July 31, 2018. The bill reauthorized and updated the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, and is commonly referred to as “Perkins V.” He has been a leading congressional advocate for CTE programs and students throughout his time in the House.
Rep. Thompson attended Penn State University and Temple University. Learn more below about the Congressman’s passion for CTE, his work serving on House committees and more!
ACTE: As both the co-chair of the House CTE Caucus and the lead sponsor of legislation reauthorizing Perkins, you have spent your time in Congress championing CTE. What led to your interest in CTE and why do you feel it is so important to advocate for CTE students and programs?
Rep. Thompson: My appreciation for CTE came at an early age. My father went through a CTE program, leading him to become a tool and die maker. Eventually, he decided to start his own business which became quite successful. From agriculture to the arts and from marketing to manufacturing, CTE programs work to develop America’s most valuable resources – its people.
Representing Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District has reinforced my belief that the key to developing the workforce of the future is reinvigorating career and technical education across the United States. Pennsylvania is home to more than 80 CTE centers, including nine in my district, and I have seen firsthand the benefits and importance of these programs in developing a skilled workforce. With more than 12 million students enrolled in CTE programs and nearly 10 million job openings throughout the country, Congress needs to work to close the skills gap and modernize federal investments in these programs.
We are providing the education and the tools to equip a 21st-century workforce by supporting these programs, and I will continue to be a strong advocate for giving people from all walks of life an opportunity to succeed and restore rungs on the ladder of opportunity.
ACTE: As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, you work to support policies to help deliver on the needs of employers for a 21st-century skilled workforce. How do you work with your fellow Members of the Committee to support and advance CTE?
Rep. Thompson: CTE is one of those unique issues that unites Democrats and Republicans here in Washington and across the country, and I believe the work we do in the CTE Caucus is a prime example of that. We have 107 bipartisan members, and counting, and I am grateful for the partnership and friendship of the Caucus’ Co-Chair, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, who is also a senior member on the Education and the Workforce Committee. Together, we have been able to introduce and advance proposals ranging from workforce investments in infrastructure projects to increasing awareness for career counseling programs within the existing Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) framework that helps connect adult learners with educational and career opportunities.
Lawmakers at every level of government are hearing from their constituents about the challenges in attracting and retaining a talented, skilled workforce, and we do not have the luxury of sitting back and throwing up our hands. My colleagues and I have rolled up our sleeves and begun addressing these issues, and there is no better evidence of this than the passage of Perkins V in 2018. That legislation passed both the House and Senate by voice votes before being signed into law by President Trump. That kind of support on such a large and impactful piece of legislation is practically unheard of, but it is a testament to the bipartisanship of this issue and a strong commitment on both sides of the aisle to promote alternative career pathways.
I stand ready to continue to work with any of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as educators and industry stakeholders, to advance meaningful CTE legislation.
ACTE: How best can CTE advocates work with their policymakers back home to help them gain an understanding of the opportunities that CTE programs offer? As a policymaker, are there elements of CTE programs that you haven’t yet been able to observe up close that you would like to see in action?
Rep. Thompson: One of the things that we, as a society, have unfortunately gotten away from is storytelling. Sharing your personal experiences with lawmakers on a range of issues, from agriculture to health care to CTE, helps us make informed decisions and improves the quality of federal programs. As we work to combat the stigma that sometimes still exists surrounding CTE programs, it is perhaps more important than ever to get the success stories of CTE out as far and wide as possible.
I have been fortunate during my time in Congress to visit many of the CTE programs and schools in Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District and throughout the Commonwealth. Early on when I would visit these schools, many classrooms were mostly empty and some programs were really struggling. Now when I tour these centers, I almost always find that there is a waiting list to get into these programs. I think that shows we are doing something right and starting to get the word out about how these programs help folks climb the next rung on the ladder of opportunity.
I think it’s impossible to observe every program under the umbrella of CTE – which is a good thing. Well over half of new jobs today require skills that can be learned and developed through technical training, and the breadth that CTE covers ensures that we are building our workforce to face tomorrow’s challenges. Speaking of those challenges, I am closely following the new cybersecurity programs many CTE centers have established. Being able to confront malicious foreign actors with a highly skilled and trained workforce helps ensure our national security and protect everything from the electrical grid to our supply chain.
ACTE: As Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, you will be taking the lead on the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. What are some of your top priorities as you craft the bill? What are some of the top workforce needs you are seeing in agricultural-based and rural communities?
Rep. Thompson: I am excited about the opportunity for the House Ag Committee to play a role in developing and improving USDA programs to help address workforce shortages in rural America. According to the 2020 Census, our rural population decreased. This marked the first decade-long fall in rural population in American history.
Opportunities in the American economy are changing as a result of developments in industry, technology, and the global market and so must our career training and education. The impacts of America's economic growing pains are uniquely felt in rural America by rural residents, who face comparatively high rates-of long term unemployment and lack access to training opportunities, and by many employers, who are finding it difficult to find appropriately skilled workers. As a result, employers are creating their own methods for finding and hiring talented people through a range of workforce development initiatives that equip applicants with the precise abilities required to carry out a job effectively.
While not directly in the purview of the Ag Committee, the Committee has authorized several programs looking at building a robust, rural workforce pipeline through the Farm Bill. In the 2018 Farm Bill, we established the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Grant Program, which offers grant assistance to rural areas to create high-wage jobs, accelerate business, and support industry clusters. USDA also has the Rural Workforce Innovation Network, which highlights USDA Rural Development programs and helps communities recruit, retain, and further educate individuals in rural America.
I have always said the number one asset any organization has is a high-quality, high-skilled workforce. It is important that Congress, through the Farm Bill, consider any and all opportunities to address the workforce challenges in rural America. With its unique reach, expertise, and experience serving rural America, USDA is well-positioned to help local communities develop and implement workforce development strategies.
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