U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

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As Prepared

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
2003 Workforce Innovations Conference
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Washington, DC
Tuesday, July 8, 2003

Thank you, Emily. And a big “thank-you” to Bill Sanders and everyone who has worked so hard and done so much to make this event the wonderful success that it is.

It’s great to be a part of this event. The future of America rests upon the strength and success of America’s workforce. And, you help to make this happen.

We started this part of the program with a video clip of the President because I wanted to share with you the fact that the President is one of your biggest fans. He is so proud of you and the work you do! In fact, you’ve just got to go to the DOL/ETA website and read the entire speech the President gave on workforce training. This is the first time in years a President has spoken about the workforce investment system and in his speech the President brags about the great job you are doing.

In that speech, the President called us to action. He called us to help find jobs for those who are out of work. As he said, our nation’s greatest strength lies in the fact that we rise magnificently and compassionately to every challenge. And we’ve faced a lot of them recently.

We all know that the job market isn’t what it should be.

Economists remind us of the big picture: the economy is growing, albeit slowly. Trade that creates jobs is expanding. Productivity gains, which are essential for long-term improvement in our standard of living, are at an all time high. Interest rates are at an all time low. Homeownership is near record levels.

Yet in the past two years, we’ve been hit with the devastating attacks of September 11th and the aftermath that cost our country 1.5 million jobs. Then our nation faced a crisis of confidence in corporate governance, a war on terror, and a health epidemic overseas that impacted businesses worldwide, SARS.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan noted that, only a few decades ago, any combination of these factors might well have caused a severe contraction.

But, because of our freedom and resilience and because of the spirit of our people, America weathered these storms and more.

Yet for too large a number of people, this uphill climb can be tough. And, those of you in this room have a tremendous capacity to help those who are looking for new starts and jobs in our economy.

We all have a job to do to help workers move forward. That means freeing people of tax and bureaucratic burdens so they can go further. It means helping workers at all stages of their careers. And, it means getting out in front of change to ensure that the Workforce Development System is prepared to help workers succeed in the 21st century workforce.

Our goal is a lifetime of opportunity for every worker. It starts with a growing economy where everyone who wants a job can find one. It includes lifelong learning so that people can move forward as the world changes around them. And it includes caring, compassionate, customized help so that job transitions can occur with a minimal of disruptions to individuals and their loved ones.

The first step has already been taken with President Bush’s jobs and growth plan.

The President’s Jobs and Growth Plan spurs investment to stimulate new jobs, and then provides effective, personalized job training to prepare workers for those jobs.

To help turn the economy around, the President pushed hard to lower your taxes. You and other taxpayers get to keep more of your own money. For many, the rebate checks will start arriving this month! That’s good for the economy. And, it’s important to prompt investments by small businesses that create 3 out of every 4 new jobs.

Today, America needs schools and job training programs that give people the skills they need to succeed – not once, but again and again, throughout a working life.

Our society and economy constantly open new job opportunities. And Americans have a terrific talent for catching the wave. Today’s college graduates have job choices that didn’t even exist when they were born – in health care, in communications, and more. And 20 years from now, more than one person in this room will be working in an occupation that doesn’t exist today.

But, of course, it’s not only new occupations that we have to prepare for. It’s change within occupations. Today’s new technologies and knowledge systems have revolutionized work throughout the economy. More than half of all workers now use a computer on the job. Office workers have mastered generations of new systems; so have auto mechanics and hospital personnel; teachers and electricians; and countless others.

How do we prepare for this kind of economic learning? It has to begin with the basics – schooling rich in the three Rs, as well as the analytical skills needed to keep on learning. That’s the commitment of the President’s No Child Left Behind Initiative: to believe in every child; to teach every child; to give every child the skills for success in life.

At the Department of Labor, we are working hard to make sure no worker is left behind. We need your help and commitment to job training programs that prepare workers for real jobs in the real world. That means a demand-driven workforce investment system, one that responds rapidly to changing economic conditions and helps workers gain greater self-sufficiency. We need to structure training programs that fit business employers’ hiring needs so trainees can have a better chance to get real jobs. A complex system, as the President reminded us, makes it harder for people to succeed.

And let me add, we are tremendously grateful to have the talents of Emily DeRocco heading the employment and training team. Emily cares deeply about ensuring hope and opportunity for every worker. Her vision of what we can accomplish is matched only by her energy in getting things done!

Great job training points people to success – and success is out there to be found. Just today I checked the website of America’s Job Bank, and there were nearly 1 million job postings. America is looking for registered nurses, sales managers, tractor-trailer drivers, and more. In the future, scholars and industry experts tell us to expect even more jobs in health care, biotechnology, construction – and whole new fields like geo-spatial information.

As you know, some of these jobs require college degrees – today, more than a third of workers have a BA or higher. But many others require two-year degrees, industry-standard certifications, or on-the-job training. Skilled trades are more vital than ever.

The Department is working closely with states, community colleges, unions and industry to target our training on real opportunities. That means making training more accessible, through the more than 3,590 comprehensive and affiliated One-Stop Career Centers throughout the country and other initiatives. It means partnering with businesses that offer the jobs, as in our High Growth Job Training Initiative. And it means fast, focused responses to disasters and layoffs.

To leverage the resources of our One Stop system, President Bush has urged Congress to establish Personal Reemployment Accounts. These accounts empower people to find success. Everyone’s situation is different. Some job seekers need childcare; others need transportation, or help relocating; while others need more job training. With Personal Re-employment Accounts, people who are having the toughest time finding work would receive up to $3,000 – to spend on whatever they need most to find a job. If a person finds a job within 13 weeks, he or she can keep whatever is left in their account. Call it a reemployment bonus! As the President said, we need to trust people and give them the flexibility to become better prepared.

These and other Department initiatives are driven by one commitment: to get workers the effective and responsive help they deserve. That’s why we are working to reform the Workforce Investment Act so that states can have more flexibility to respond to people’s needs. That’s why we are constantly looking for the best ways to target and deliver services.

But we can’t accomplish this alone. You are key to helping our workforce development system succeed. You are the workforce development system. This conference is called “Fueling America’s Economic Engine,” and no words could more aptly describe your very important mission. You empower millions of Americans to follow their dreams, imagine new possibilities, reach for new opportunity, and find fulfillment. I hope you know the tremendous impact you have very single day.

As many of you have probably heard, the unemployment rate went up last month. It went up because 611,000 more Americans decided to re-enter the job market and look for work. That means that 611,000 Americans are confident enough in the economy that they believe they can find new jobs.

Many of them are adult women who have the flexibility of moving in and out of the workforce. These individuals will soon be reaching out to you for guidance, support, and assistance in accessing hope, new opportunities, and new lives. Your compassion, understanding, and help in connecting them with relevant training that will land them real jobs is something they will never forget-- nor will you. You came into this line of work because you believed in the potential of the human spirit. You believe that we can help place even the most difficult to place job seekers. You do this job because you love to help others and because you want to do something worthwhile. You want to make a difference, to have an impact and to make our communities a better place for everyone.

You still have that mission. Our proposed reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act will enable all of us, who care so much, to better help those who need help to find a real job!

You are doing a great job. The President and I are so proud of you. But, I challenge you to do more, to do better. We can all do better! You are a key part of our country’s tradition and culture of compassion. Together, we can continue to bring hope and opportunity to our fellow Americans and ensure that the American dream reaches every willing heart.