Calling on the Senate to make CTE a Priority this Fall
Floor Speech
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Mr. Speaker, during the August in-district work period, I had the privilege of visiting CPI in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. CPI is the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology.
I was proud that my colleague, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, was able to join me in Pennsylvania's Fifth District at CPI on the first day of school.
CPI was founded in 1969 to meet the career and technical education needs of high school students in Centre County. By combining academies with technical training and industry-recognized certifications, CPI is uniquely poised to prepare students for rapid employment and long-term career success. CPI offers more than 18 secondary programs, over 60 in- house adult and continuing education programs, and more than 350 online courses.
In addition to exceptional classroom and hands-on instruction from a highly qualified, experienced faculty, CPI offers certification in a wide range of disciplines, a notable advantage to CPI graduates and their employers.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi and I were at CPI to talk about our bill, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. This House unanimously approved the bill in June, and I call on the United States Senate to make it a priority for this fall.
Mr. Speaker, our bill is the first major overhaul to the Carl D.Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in more than 10 years. The bipartisan legislation strengthens and improves career and technical education and gives Americans the skills they need to compete for in- demand jobs.
This can be witnessed firsthand at CPI. This November, CPI will launch a new 2-year degree program: Natural Gas Compression--CAT/Ariel Emphasis Associate of Specialized Technology. The program is in partnership with the Cleveland Brothers, a Pennsylvania-based Caterpillar dealer, and Ariel Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of natural gas compressors. CPI is currently accepting students for a November 28, 2017, start date. It is only one of two programs of its kind nationwide.
Ariel Corporation compressors and CAT engines are located in oil and gas fields throughout the world. Graduates of CPI's natural gas compressor degree program will have an opportunity to work locally, nationally, and globally. Cleveland Brothers, Ariel, and gas industry partners will be interviewing the NGC students after the first term. If pre-hired by the program's industry partners, students will receive company-sponsored tuition reimbursement.
Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the type of career and technical education investments we should be making and encouraging. By educating Americans in high-demand fields, they can climb rungs on the ladder of opportunity and obtain family-sustaining jobs.
I will continue to advocate for these important reforms that will benefit Americans from all walks of life. I urge the Senate to take up our bill without delay. It is important to close the skills gap and give every American a chance at having a fulfilling career.
Now, I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Krishnamoorthi, for traveling to Pennsylvania to see this program in action. I want to thank the staff of CPI for not only hosting us on the first day of school, but for working to educate students in their chosen fields.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the Senate to act on this bipartisan bill without delay because it is critically important to closing the skills gap in this country, and above all else, it is a win for the American worker and American families. Let's help all Americans learn to earn.
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