workforce development

Last week, Iowa led the nation with the first Workforce Pell Grant program in the country approved by the U.S. Department of Education. According to a press release from the Department, it is “a major milestone in expanding faster, more affordable pathways to careers in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand industry sectors and occupations.” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds explained that “Now, the Workforce Pell program will allow schools to fast-track students within eight to 15 weeks into rewarding careers with little-to-no debt, expanding high-quality career opportunities and paving the way to a stronger and more resilient economy.” Director of the Iowa Department of Education McKenzie Snow said, “With the nation’s first Workforce Pell application, Iowa will identify postsecondary programs with the best completion, employment, and earnings outcomes, ensuring students get a Read More ›

Keri D. Ingraham, Discovery Institute’s Senior Fellow and Director of the American Center for Transforming Education, was in Denver recently for ACE Scholarship events spanning two days. Ingraham was a featured speaker at the ACE Scholarships Education Freedom Tax Credit Symposium, held at the Four Seasons, on May 5. Her speech, “The Research Doesn’t Lie,” was well-received by attendees. The following day, Mike Rowe was the keynote speaker at the ACE Scholarship Annual Luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency. Rowe is an Emmy award-winning TV host, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, recording artist, and CEO of the Mike Rowe WORKS Foundation. His foundation has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships, reinvigorating the skilled trades in America. While in Denver, Read More ›

America’s workforce crisis is leaving too many young people and adults on the sidelines. According to Nick Moore, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education, “more than one in ten young people aged 16-24 are disconnected from both school and work, while many adults face barriers to reentry due to credential opacity, benefits cliffs, or misalignment between education and employer needs.” This reality underscores the need for a workforce system that delivers clear pathways to skills, credentials, and employment. Thankfully, the Trump administration is taking decisive action to address this through multifaceted measures that merge education and workforce development programs that will provide a brighter future for Americans. It Read More ›

America is in a global artificial intelligence (AI) race. The stakes are historically high with economic and national security implications. As President Trump declared in July, “Whether we like it or not, we are suddenly engaged in a fast-paced competition to build and refine this groundbreaking technology that will determine so much about the future of civilization.” The President, First Lady, and the Trump Administration are taking decisive steps to ensure America is prepared and positioned to win one of the most consequential competitions among nations in modern history, determining future global dominance. On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump hosted a meeting of the White House Task Force on Artificial Intelligence Education. Michael Kratsios, Director of the Office of Science Read More ›