Supporting Cte

Floor Speech

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Mr. OLSZEWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank my colleague, Chairman Williams, for his leadership on a bipartisan bill that we passed earlier today to ensure that small businesses have access to information about career and technical education programs and that helps them, more importantly, hire both accomplished and competent CTE graduates.

I am proud to co-lead this effort as someone who prioritized workforce development as well as career and technical education in my prior roles. As Baltimore County executive, I helped implement a $3.3 billion school improvement plan with a strong emphasis on CTE. I created the Public Health Pathways Program, connecting residents with high-demand nursing jobs. As a State legislator, I helped create the Maryland Employment Advancement Right Now Program, addressing the needs of workers by creating formal career pathways to good jobs.

These efforts work. Countless Americans are hungry for employment and are seeking opportunities to improve their livelihoods by pursuing their passions.

This bill is just one of many steps we need to take to build a strong pipeline of skilled workers in high-need industries.

CTE graduates have the skills and dedication that Maryland and American small businesses need, and I thank my colleagues for supporting this commonsense bill.

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