WASHINGTON, D.C. – Technical education and infrastructure are at the forefront of Republicans’ agenda in Congress and the White House.

    President Trump issued an executive order last week to expand and improve federal apprenticeship programs in partnership with states and industries. This week, Republicans in the House of Representatives followed up with legislation to simplify applications for federal funding, grow vocational training in rural areas, and target in-demand manufacturing jobs.

    Congressman Scott DesJarlais, M.D., has voted for legislation to remove federal barriers to energy and other infrastructure projects – such as the Keystone Pipeline – that create high-paying jobs for technical graduates. Yesterday on the House Floor, he delivered a speech on the effectiveness of technical education in Tennessee, his home state, where Governor Bill Haslam led a successful effort to provide free technical education to those new to the workforce or re-entering:

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Click to watch Rep. DesJarlais champion technical education in Tennessee

    Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04) recently visited the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Smyrna, one of many campuses in operation or soon to be. Franklin County in the Fourth District, a mostly rural area which he represents in Congress, celebrated the groundbreaking of another Applied Technology campus this week.

    The Fourth District is home to General Motors, Nissan, Wacker Chemical, and other leading manufacturers requiring skilled employees, whose starting salaries are generally higher than the national average. According to the Department of Labor, 90 percent of apprentices – technical students whose education companies often sponsor –  find immediate employment.

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