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“CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E273 on Feb. 28, 2008.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH
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speech of
HON. MARK E. SOUDER
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Monday, February 25, 2008
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 930 and especially in support of Brown Mackie College in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In my district, Mr. Speaker, there is a huge need for highly skilled workers, and Brown Mackie College plays a critical role in helping our region meet this demand. Each year they provide thousands of students opportunities to ``skill up,'' so that they can better contribute to local employers and better provide for their families.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the top 20 fastest growing occupations in our country are supplied by career and technical education. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that nearly three-
quarters of employers struggle to hire qualified workers. Clearly the need for career and technical education is severe, and we in Congress must do what we can to encourage its growth.
In northeast Indiana--as in the rest of the country--a high quality education is critical to obtaining a good, well-paying job. While northeast Indiana is still a manufacturing center of the country, these jobs are becoming increasingly more high-tech and require higher levels of skills and training. Schools like Brown Mackie College are helping prepare students for these changes.
Mr. Speaker, as competition in our global economy continues to grow more fierce, career and technical education is essential to preparing a well-educated, skilled workforce. I ask that my colleagues join with me in expressing support for Brown Mackie College and schools like it. They are critical to the future of northeast Indiana, and they are critical to the future of our country.
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