Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said giving workers training to succeed and increased access to new, high-quality jobs of the future are essential to expanding and diversifying the country's workforce.

He made these comments during the department's Good Jobs event, according to a Feb. 21 news release.

“Providing good jobs for all workers is an important conversation. We’ve lived through a historic moment. The pandemic changed our daily lives, including the way we work. American workers are seeking new skills and quality jobs, and U.S. employers are transforming how they do business,” Graves said in the release.

Graves said the once-in-a-generation investments the Biden-Harris administration has made to rebuild infrastructure, combat climate change, provide high-speed internet to every household and support the domestic semiconductor industry, the release reported. The Commerce Department, with the entire administration, has committed to ensuring underrepresented workers and businesses enjoy the opportunities that these investments bring.

“We’re working to build a more inclusive economy that grows from the bottom up and the middle out,” he added, according to the release.

Graves expressed pride in the work being done to improve job quality and access to good jobs, the release reported. He encouraged participants in the event to keep engaging with the Commerce Department to share the challenges they face and how it can better serve workers.