WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) has been named one of four co-chairs of the New Democrat Coalition’s new working group on job training and workforce development issues: the 21st Century Job Skills Working Group.

“People in central and northwest Connecticut aren’t worried about who’s ‘winning’ in Washington. They want their leaders to work together and develop real solutions to help families that are still struggling to recover from the recession,” Esty said. “I hear time and time again from manufacturers and small businesses in my district who tell me about their difficulty finding or training workers with the right skill sets. As a co-chair of this new working group, I look forward to advancing job training programs that focus on best practices from both America’s public and private sectors.”

“I am pleased to announce the selection of the Co-Chairs of the 21st Century Job Skills Working Group,” New Democrat Coalition Chairman Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) said in a statement. “These leaders have demonstrated a commitment to advocating for smart, evidence-based approaches to job training that will help Americans get the skills they need to fill the jobs that are available and stay ahead of the curve in the global economy. I look forward to working with each of them.”

Rep. Esty has taken an active role on workforce issues in the 113th Congress, including the recent passage of her bill to boost STEM education. The three other co-chairs are Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL). Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) serves as a Vice Chair of the New Democrat Coalition.

The 21st Century Job Skills Working Group formed earlier in July with the announcement of its support for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). That bill, which passed the House by a vote of 415-6, received the support of every member of the working group.