i3 - March/April 2020 - 36

Policy

have registered brand new tech-related
apprenticeship programs.
The dedicated Future of Work conference track at CES 2020 offered
expert perspectives and industry
insights on how to develop new and
innovative talent pipeline strategies.
During the Growth of Apprenticeships
for New Collar Jobs session, Jennifer
Taylor, vice president, U.S. Jobs, CTA,
said, "Tech companies are approaching
the workforce talent shortage just as a
startup would - by tapping America's
entrepreneurial spirit and finding innovative solutions. Apprenticeship is just
one untapped solution that tech
employers should leverage. Human
capital will always be an employer's
greatest asset, so tech companies need
to create new learning pathways for
new hires."

Industry Leaders at CES

Policy discussions are a critical part of
CES - and some 200 policymakers
from around the world attended CES
2020. CTA invites officials from the
White House, both Republicans and
Democrats, to participate in and speak
at CES. In 2020, Advisor to the
President Ivanka Trump - who leads
White House efforts on job creation and
economic growth through workforce
development, skills training and entrepreneurship - addressed the The Path
to the Future of Work with Shapiro on
the keynote stage.
Trump advocates for programs that
help blue-collar workers keep pace with
the rapidly evolving economy, strategies
to reskill workers, apprenticeships and
expanded K-12 education in science
and technology. "It's not only about
training for the jobs of the future,"
Trump said. "People need to be

MARCH/APRIL 2020

i3_0320_34-36_Policy_News_Workfoce_LV.indd 36

thinking about investing in their curDuring his remarks at the annual
rent workforce, so they can enable
Board of Industry Leaders meeting,
those people to do their same job using
Sec. Ross discussed the state of our
different equipment tomorrow."
nation's workforce and the importance
"It is our responsibility, as we think
of training workers who need new
about this country and the health of all
skills. "We need internships and
Americans, to be anticiapprenticeships,
pating where there will
because there are talent
be disruption -
shortages everywhere.
whether it's long-term
We have six million
People need to
or short-term - and
unemployed people in
be thinking about the workforce, but we
coming up with a plan
investing in their have seven-and-a-half
to help transition those
current workpeople," she said.
million unfilled jobs
Trump also said we
force, so they can that range from weldneed to shift from hiring to truck driving to
enable those
ing workers based on
coding to
people to do their computer
degrees and place
everything in between.
same job using
greater emphasis on a
So, it's a huge, huge
different equip- issue."
person's skills. She
ment tomorrow.
added the administraFor the U.S. to meet
Ivanka Trump
tion plans to launch an
its targeted growth rate
ad campaign in 2020 to
of 3%, he said the
highlight alternative
nation must increase
pathways, such as
the workforce particiapprenticeship, into the workforce other pation rate - at 63.4% as of January
than a four-year college. CTA members
2020. Simply put, we need more
took note.
Americans of all ages working.
"The keynote was an insightful fireside
Ross told industry leaders, "Because
talk about the fantastic growth in
population growth is extremely small
employment in America right now. It is
- it's a fraction of a percent and proencouraging that companies are leading
ductivity is about one percent - we
the effort to create programs and training need a one percent a year increase
that are effectively putting all Americans
in workforce participation, in order
to work," said Deena Ghazarian, managto meet our economic targets, let
ing partner, TargetPath. "A trained, eager
alone to make more customers for
workforce is the foundation for what
your products."
accelerates not only America and
Ross closed by thanking CTA for
American business, but also global busiinviting him to CES and said, "I was
ness and technology advancement. It's
extremely impressed by the exhibits
inspiring, and I hope that others will join
that I've seen, and it makes me feel
us and sign the Pledge."
better about our country frankly."
Trump and Commerce Secretary
The importance of the Future of
Wilbur Ross co-chair the National
Work hit a high note at CES 2020 -
Council for the American Worker,
inspiring the technology industry to
which is responsible for leading a
invest in creating a skilled workforce
national strategy for training and
and providing guidance on building
retraining workers needed in highthe workers that we'll need to continue
demand industries.
to lead the world in innovation.
I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

3/17/20 2:04 PM

https://www.cta.tech/Membership/Member-Groups/CTA-Apprenticeship-Coalition

i3 - March/April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i3 - March/April 2020