IBM today issued the following statement urging passage of The National Apprenticeship Act of 2021:

 

“Today, IBM calls on the U.S. House of Representatives to pass The National Apprenticeship Act given the positive difference it can make for workers and families across the United States.

 

“As our nation struggles with the economic upheaval brought on by the pandemic, this bill promises to invest more than $3.5 billion over the next five years to help scale and accelerate the creation of apprenticeship programs that can offer new career pathways for the roughly 11 million Americans that are currently unemployed.

 

“At IBM, we have seen first hand how providing in-demand skills outside traditional higher education programs can be life-changing for workers and students, regardless of their backgrounds. In 2019 IBM co-founded the CTA Apprenticeship Coalition to help other companies expand and scale high-tech apprenticeship programs. Nearly 40 companies are now working on adopting apprenticeship programs through the coalition. Investing in “earn and learn” programs like apprenticeships moves our country closer to filling existing opportunity gaps and helps people find family-sustaining career pathways that work for them.

“Giving Americans more access to training, skills, and education will make our workforce more inclusive and accelerate the country’s economic recovery. IBM looks forward to working closely with Congress and the Biden Administration to see this bill enacted into law.”

 

-Bridget van Kralingen, Senior Vice President, IBM

 

 

 

Media Contact:
Kathryn Snyder
kathryn.snyder@ibm.com

 

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