Congressman Tim Walberg | Wikipedia
Congressman Tim Walberg | Wikipedia
Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) have introduced the Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act. This bipartisan legislation would help support community colleges and career and technical education centers in developing programs for workforce development utilizing immersive technology, including virtual reality.
“Across the country, businesses are struggling to find employees to meet the ever-growing demand in the skilled trades or technical fields,” said Rep. Walberg. “I am proud to work with Congresswoman Blunt Rochester to introduce this important legislation to ensure that Americans in rural and underserved areas can utilize immersive technologies to pursue career development and better access quality job training. Immersive technologies, including augmented and virtual reality tools, will lower training costs and improve safety while paving the way for individuals to pursue good-paying careers.”
“From my time as Delaware’s Secretary of Labor, Head of State Personnel, and CEO of the Wilmington Metropolitan Urban League, to my time in Congress, there’s been one word that has driven my work – jobs,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “People want to work and want to gain the necessary skills to do so. That’s why it’s critical that we increase access to education and training programs at community colleges and career and technical centers that are using or want to use immersive technology so that people are equipped to take on some of the most in-demand skill and trade jobs of today and jobs of the future. And that’s why it was so important to me to include the Immersive Technology and Opportunity Act in my JOBS Agenda that I announced last month and why I’m equally as proud to officially introduce this bill with Rep. Walberg this Congress that will help us build the workforce of the future.”
Background
Immersive technology, including augmented and virtual reality tools, can expand access to workforce training to ensure American companies have the capacity to meet their workforce needs. The technology has the potential to make workforce training more cost effective, safer, and to expand access to rural and underserved areas and workers with disabilities.
The Immersive Technology for the American Workforce Act would:
1. Create a 5-year grant program at the Department of Labor to support community colleges and career and technical education centers in developing education and training programs for workforce development utilizing immersive technology.
2.Encourage the development of inclusive technology and workforce training programs.
3. Prioritize entities:
- Serving rural areas
- Serving areas of substantial unemployment
- Engaging in a public-private partnership
- Filling a skills gap
- Meeting the needs of employers
- Retraining workers in strategic employment sectors
- Targeting individuals with barriers to employment
- Aligning with relevant state and local workforce development plans
Original source can be found here.
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