OPINION: Congress must invest in America’s workforce

The United States has the most productive workforce in the world. As we help America’s unemployed through challenging times, the real focus should shift to not just extending unemployment benefits, but to also investing in the future of the nation’s workers and the unemployed.

To grow the economy, Congress has the responsibility to support state and local government recovery efforts. Congress can do this by supporting federal funding to effective job-training programs that work here in the Inland Empire.

Last month, I urged President Obama to prioritize federal funding that considers an increase to the Dislocated Worker Employment and Training Activities Program for his fiscal year 2015 budget.

An increase in funding for this program will empower states to continue providing job search assistance, career counseling and training services to individuals who have lost their jobs. Job training centers are essential for dislocated workers to become better candidates for in-demand skills needed to fill job demands in a given region.

In the 35th Congressional District, there are a number of agencies that heavily rely on this funding such as the San Bernardino County’s Workforce Investment Board.

In fiscal year 2013, the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board assisted more than 31,593 unemployed individuals who came into their office. Individuals were assisted with on-the-job training, vocational and classroom training to upgrade their skills, thereby assisting them during the transition process into new fields.

It is successful retraining centers like this that are in the front lines of battling unemployment in America.

In January, the U.S. Department of Labor reported a decrease in the number of unemployed persons, at 10.2 million, and the unemployment rate, set at 6.6 percent. Statistics show that in one year the economy has gained 2.1 million jobs; but this is not a victory. Millions of Americans are still unemployed nationwide.

In San Bernardino County, thousands are waiting for the right tools in training to find and keep good paying jobs. By “good jobs” I mean jobs that:

• Support a family by increasing incomes and narrowing the wage gap.

• Are safe and secure, giving people a voice in the workplace.

• Are sustainable and rebuild a strong middle class.

Helping Americans acquire new skills and access training programs allows them an opportunity to obtain a good paying job. To effectively serve American workers, Congress must work together to meet today’s challenges by helping, in every way possible, to develop a highly skilled workforce through more investments for America’s unemployed.

By supporting initiatives that provide more training for today’s job demands, we will help our workforce become more globally competitive.

If you are a dislocated worker and need assistance, please call my district office at 909-626-2054 to help you contact an American Job Center.

Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Montclair, represents California’s 35th Congressional District encompassing the communities of Bloomington, Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and portions of Fontana and Rialto.