Washington, D.C. – Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) today announced he has agreed to be a cosponsor on two bills that each deal with training and programs in career and technical education (CTE) fields. 

The Cybersecurity Skills Integration Act, H.R. 1592, would create a pilot program within the Department of Education to award competitive grants to education-employer partnerships for the development, implementation, and/or expansion of postsecondary CTE programs that integrate cybersecurity education into curricula preparing students for careers in critical infrastructure sectors. The bill would also ensure that workers in training for jobs in these industries are prepared for today’s cyber threats. 

The Transportation Workforce Centers of Excellence Act of 2020, H.R. 6032, would provide $50 million over five years in competitive grants to strengthen education and training programs in targeted industries. Grants will be disbursed to Centers of Excellence in Transportation Workforce Training, which will consist of consortia of high-performing two-year colleges. The bill authorizes investments to develop career pathways that lead to credentials in transportation-related industries that could range from manufacturing to operation, design and engineering of infrastructure. The legislation prioritizes providing on-the-job training and work-based learning, developing dual enrollment programs to train high school students, promoting training related to new technologies and outreach and career counseling to increase participation in the transportation sector. It also promotes partnership and collaboration among employers, state agencies, and other community partners to address training needs.

 “People have lost their jobs during this pandemic, businesses are closing, and we need to look at ways to grow the pool of workers for the cybersecurity and transportation workforces as they are both growing industries,” said Rep. Bacon. “These bills not only expand training and programs, but they place on emphasis on programs that are offering remote training for those who may not be able to attend in person.”

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