Last Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to prioritize and expand workforce development, which seeks to create and fill American jobs with American workers. The boating industry stands ready to hire a new generation of workers into stable, well-paying careers, and the recreation has worked closely with the administration and lawmakers to provide full funding for workforce and technical education programs.

President Trump’s order establishes the National Council for the American Worker with the goal of developing a national strategy for training and retraining workers and utilize data to connect American businesses, workers, and educational institutions. The council will be comprised of top administration officials focused on equipping Americans with skills necessary to move from an entry-level job into a lifelong career. An outside advisory board of leaders from the business and education communities will work with the administration to implement job training and workforce development programs across the country. 

Prioritizing technical, vocational, and apprenticeship programs is a top priority of the recreational marine industry. The industry is facing a shortfall of qualified workers for manufacturing, technicians, and service repairs. According to a study by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, by 2019 there will be a 31,000 job shortage in the U.S. marine industry. In May of this year, the marine industry unveiled the “10+1 Strategy: A Marine Industry Guide to Growing the Workforce” designed to help address the workforce challenges facing the industry. 

To view President Trump’s executive order fact sheet, click here.

To view the Council of Economic Advisers report on Addressing America’s Reskilling Challenge, click here.

If you have any questions about legislative issues, or something happening in your state, please contact Will Higgins.