IEC Testifies Before Congress on Apprenticeship
Last week, IEC member and president of IEC Kentucky and Southern Indiana, Carol Reynolds, owner of United Industrial Services, participated in a hearing, titled: “On The Job: Rebuilding the Workforce Through Apprenticeships. The hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
Ms. Reynolds explained to the members of Congress the frustration electrical contracting companies are experiencing in the attempt to find qualified individuals to enter IEC’s registered apprenticeship program. She explained how the cultural shift in the belief that college is the only way to a good career has created an imbalance in the workforce, with fewer and fewer individuals entering the skilled trades. She urged Congress to develop policies to help further promote the benefits of a career, like that of an electrician, to students as early as grade school.
The Education and Workforce Committee highlighted much of IEC’s testimony in their recent blog post, which can be found here.