By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
President Donald Trump signed the “Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act” (H.R. 2353) into law. The bill unanimously passed both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, marking the first time that federal government has reauthorized and overhauled the $1.2-billion-a-year career and technical program since 2006.
“Now more than 11 million students and workers will have greater access to better training and more jobs,” Trump said at an event at Tampa Bay, Florida, Technical High School.
The new law provides states with greater flexibility to set their own goals for career and technical education programs without approval from the U.S. Department of Education, while requiring states to make progress toward those goals. Of particular importance to the growing automotive aftermarket industry, H.R. 2353 aligns students with in-demand career fields and encourages career and technical schools to work more closely with employers. Additionally, the new law is focused on improving students’ employability skills, work-based learning opportunities, and credentialing so that they are job, ready when entering the workforce.
For more information, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org.