On May 14, the Department of Commerce announced a Department Administrative Order (DAO) to establish a workforce policy agenda focused on preparing the workforce with the skills necessary to accelerate the development and deployment of emerging technologies. Historically, the Departments of Education and Labor have been the federal agencies most focused on workforce education, but recent investments, particularly in the CHIPS and Science Act, that are administered by the Department of Commerce, have brought that agency more to the forefront of our work.
The DAO lays out a three-part approach to meet employers’ needs:
- Invest in employer-driven education and training systems.
- Foster transformative employer practices.
- Produce timely data to help Americans develop and advance.
The DAO also establishes a Commerce Workforce Council to develop and implement the Department’s workforce policy, programs and initiatives and coordinate with other federal agencies.
In a statement, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said, “The diversity of our workforce is our greatest asset, and to make our country even more competitive, we can’t have any Americans stuck in the margins of our economy. The order I’m announcing today highlights how the Department of Commerce is investing more than $1.6 billion in our workforce and the support services needed to upskill and connect workers with family sustaining jobs in their communities in key industries that will keep the United States at the forefront of our 21st-century economy.”
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