Congressman Brett Guthrie, a U.S. Representative for Kentucky’s 2nd congressional district, visited Owensboro on Friday to show support for National Manufacturing Month and to speak exclusively to the Owensboro Times about his position on finding jobs for the people of Kentucky.
Guthrie serves as chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, and he recently launched a bipartisan Congressional Apprenticeship Caucus with Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA). Guthrie is focused on enacting congressional support toward the implementation of apprenticeships, with a strong belief that apprenticeships can benefit those entering the workforce, especially in the manufacturing industry.
“People can make a good living with an industrial skill,” Guthrie said. He added that he hoped apprenticeships would allow more workers to seek jobs that require certification. Although the unemployment rate in Kentucky is currently at 4.4 percent, Guthrie feels more people should be working. “We have more jobs available than people looking,” he said.
Guthrie attended an event at Ken-tron Mfg., Inc. on Friday to show support for workers in the manufacturing industry, and to speak about his Congressional Apprenticeship Caucus. This summer, Guthrie introduced the APPRENTICE Act, which would help expand apprenticeship programs. The bill would also establish a grant program to expand apprenticeship opportunities, help train personnel supervising and educating apprentices, and improve the Department of Education database on apprenticeship programs.
“Not everyone has to have a four-year degree to be successful,” Guthrie said. He mentioned that over the last decade, Owensboro Community and Technical College has been working closely with high school student in making opportunities available to graduates.
“A lot of people are just not in the workforce. People who can work, should work,” Guthrie said, adding that, while a lot of formerly non-working residents may initially feel that having a job with benefits may affect their income negatively, making it “harder” than filing for governmental support, the choice to work and support themself will greatly benefit them five years down the road. Guthrie said his plan to help individuals transition to the workforce includes a “step down” process that promotes a slower implementation of benefit and income changes that new workers may have a hard time adjusting to.
Guthrie is pushing for a remedy in the balance between the workforce and government handouts. He believes an able-bodied individual, between the ages of 18 and 59, should show proof of income before being allowed government provisions, such as food stamps.
Last year, Guthrie voted for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which helps align skills development programs with available jobs. The legislation encourages employers to develop CTE programs and was recently signed into law by the President.
Moreover, Guthrie provided support toward funding bills passed by Congress, with the intent of helping hardworking Americans attain the skills needed for the modern economy. The bill included $3.5 billion toward job training and $300 million toward Veterans Employment Training Services.
