June 12, 2017
Statement by the Press Secretary on Workforce Development Week
Apprenticeships in the United States
This week the President is placing a strong emphasis on workforce development. Secretaries Alexander Acosta and Betsy DeVos, along with the President’s daughter Ivanka Trump and Reed Cordish with the Office of American Innovation, have been deeply involved in this push. Secretary Acosta addressed this issue this morning at the President’s first meeting with a fully confirmed Cabinet. Secretary Acosta delivered a presentation on the importance of expanding apprenticeships in America and the need for all agencies to support the Administration’s apprenticeship initiative. A memorandum discussing this policy issue, which every member of the Cabinet received at this morning’s meeting.
Expanding Apprenticeships in America
I. The Problem: We Must Do More to Help American Workers
The United States must do more to help American workers obtain the education and skills they need to find good, stable jobs and succeed in the workplace. CEOs consistently report that they cannot find sufficient qualified employees to meet their needs. Some facts include:
- 95% of Business Roundtable CEOs surveyed report that finding talent was problematic.
- 6 million vacant jobs in the United States, the highest level on record.
- Manufacturing, IT and healthcare face particular shortages of skilled workers.
- Too few women and minorities working in STEM fields.
Improving workforce development in the U.S. is critical to increasing labor force participation and GDP growth.
- A highly skilled workforce is essential for America’s competitiveness in attracting and retaining business and investment.
- Unemployment is at 4.3%, a 16-year low. Substantial additional growth requires an increase in labor force participation, which requires helping those outside the labor force develop better job skills.
II. An Important Solution: Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship program is an arrangement that includes both a paid work component and an educational component. Apprenticeship programs in other countries (e.g., Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom) demonstrate effectiveness in providing an affordable path to good, stable jobs, especially among youth.
In the United States, apprenticeships have languished for decades (except in construction trades, where they have remained strong). Apprenticeships represent only 0.3 percent of the workforce in the United States.
The benefits of apprenticeships are significant and measurable:
- $60,000+ average starting salary for graduates of certified apprenticeship programs.
- $300,000 increase in lifetime earnings for graduates of certified apprenticeships, over non-apprentices.
- Apprenticeships allow workers to avoid the burden of student loan debt.
III. Requests
I ask that each Agency head support the Administration’s apprenticeship initiative by removing obstacles to apprenticeship growth that may be present in current regulations or practices.
I look forward to working with Secretary DeVos, and with each member of the Cabinet, on apprenticeship initiatives, including the implementation of future Executive actions to promote apprenticeships across America.
Statement from the President Dorel Lacatus
European Medical School Of Massage LLC
June 13, 2017
European Medical School of Massage is a vocational technical massage school and is an eligible training provider through Job Gateway and the Pennsylvania Labor and Industry.
The European Medical and Therapeutic Massage Program is 700 hours in length, 38 weeks with graduation in 9 months.
European Medical School of Massage is accredited by COMTA (Commission On Massage Therapy Accreditation). We are the only school in the north eastern United States that grants a Diploma in Medical Massage Therapy. Our school has a 100% employment rate.
Our students learn many Medical Massage Modalities designed to develop the Massage Therapist’s ability to help their clients on many levels of treating chronic pain with knowledge of Orthopedic Massage, Lymphatic Drainage Special Massage Modalities and the understanding how to help to heal injuries. After graduation, you will be professionally licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy.
Working with the Workforce Development in Berks County and surrounding regions we provide unemployed people with the training option of becoming a medical massage therapist.
European Medical School of Massage apprenticeship massage program starts two months prior to graduation. The apprenticeship massage program provides students who are soon ready to graduate, a relationship with local employers in need of this high demand occupation as well as potential clients in the community. These placements are designed to provide employment for the student upon completion of the program and after obtaining Pennsylvania State licensure. Students gain valuable experience working hands-on in the field to prepare for their career after graduation.