Concord, N.H. – Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander introduced the Investing in Digital Skills Act, bipartisan legislation to better equip people across America with training in mission-critical digital skills. Specifically, the Investing in Digital Skills Act would amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) – America’s primary workforce development legislation – to allow the federal funds that flow to adult education and workforce training programs across New Hampshire and our country to be used for training in digital skills and information literacy.
Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, a Republican of Pennsylvania and senior member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, is co-leading this legislation with Congresswoman Goodlander.
“Ensuring that the people of New Hampshire’s workforce are fully equipped with the digital skills that they need to thrive in America’s digital economy is a top priority that has strong bipartisan support in Congress,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “I am proud to be leading the Investing in Digital Skills Act, which allows millions of federal dollars that we invest every year in adult education and workforce development programs across our state to be put towards the digital skills training that so many Granite Staters want and need.”
“In an increasingly digital world, a workforce that can compete on the global stage is more important than ever before,” Congressman Thompson said. “This Digital Skills Act will help to empower workers to strengthen their skillsets and take advantage of greater opportunities.”
“Funding from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act is the gateway to adult education that provides job skills in areas that are very much in need at this time, especially in evolving industries like healthcare and manufacturing,” said Carol Baldwin, M.Ed., Executive Director of the Nashua Adult Learning Center. “This legislation will support Granite Staters working to develop the in-demand skills they need, and I am proud to support it.”
“With 92 percent of jobs currently requiring digital skills, digital skills are now essential,” said Megan Evans of the National Skills Coalition. “Recognizing the importance of digital skills in training and education helps ensure that workers can access good jobs today and continue to grow as the economy evolves.”
The complete text of the legislation can be found here.
Congresswoman Goodlander is a fierce fighter for New Hampshire students of all ages and our educators. Last month, she led the New Hampshire delegation in sending a letter to Education Secretary Linda E. McMahon and the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought demanding the Administration deliver the federal funding allocated to New Hampshire’s TRIO programs. Following their advocacy, the U.S. Department of Education reinstated this mission-critical funding that was promised to students across New Hampshire.
