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OPA News Release: [09/06/2004]
Contact Name: Lisa Kruska
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676

U.S. Department of Labor Releases Report on State of the Workforce on Labor Day

Opportunities, Challenges Facing America’s Workforce
Department of Labor Report Available Online

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor announces the release of a new report, America’s Dynamic Workforce, which surveys the state of America’s workforce, the changing nature of the workforce and the new opportunities that are developing in the 21^st Century. The report highlights ways to improve the nation’s job training programs to help more workers acquire in-demand skills.

The report is available on the Department’s website, www.dol.gov/asp/media/reports/workforce/toc.htm, today.

“America’s workforce is the most dynamic and productive in the world,” Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. “Many of the new jobs being created require upgraded skills or some form of higher education. That’s why this Administration has promoted a number of new job training initiatives to help workers acquire relevant skills that will help them get good paying jobs in industries and sectors that have high growth potential. This book makes an important contribution to understanding why America’s workforce continues to be the safest, most secure and most productive in the world,” added Secretary Chao.

In addition to analyzing the current state of the workforce, America’s Dynamic Workforce outlines President Bush’s labor policies, proposals and initiatives in detail:

• A Jobs for the 21^st Century Initiative, which will expand the capacity of community colleges and other institutions to provide job training
• A High-Growth Job Training Initiative, which tracks industries experiencing growth and helps workers access these new opportunities
• The Skills to Build America program, designed to educate young people and workers about the great opportunities available in the skilled trades, which are needed for America’s rapidly growing construction industry;
• Reform of the publicly funded job training program, so that workers are trained with skills that are needed and in demand in their communities;
• Comp Time and Flex Time initiatives, to provide private sector working parents, single mothers and other caregivers with the same options that federal government employees have to balance work and family needs;
• Building on No Child Left Behind educational reform and improving high school education, to ensure that our workers have the strong foundation needed to succeed in an increasingly knowledge-based economy.

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