WASHINGTON – March 13, 2020 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) today commended Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) for introducing H.R. 6247, the Partnerships for American Jobs Act. This bipartisan legislation would create a grant program at the U. S. Department of Education to address the skills gap in communities by supporting local public media stations’ work developing and distributing educational media and resources that prepare young people for a 21st century American workforce.
APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler issued the following statement:
“America’s Public Television Stations are most grateful to Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Meuser for introducing the Partnerships for American Jobs Act. The Partnerships for American Jobs Act will match the powerful educational resources of public media with the enormous challenge of creating a more competitive American workforce to succeed in the global economy.
“For more than 50 years, local public television stations across America have been committed to the public service mission of education and lifelong learning, for the benefit of all Americans. By creating and distributing innovative educational broadcast and digital content and services, local public media stations help students and adult learners with GED preparation, adult literacy, workforce training and job certification courses.
“In Virginia, WHRO in Norfolk has launched a series of online modules that agencies, employers and schools can use to prepare those entering the workforce. Modules are free, self-paced and include Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, Locating Information, Internet Use and Safety/Digital Citizenship.
“As trusted community partners focused on education, local public television stations are able to bring their community together to identify challenges and develop solutions. By creating networks of businesses, educational institutions, community organizations and students, public media stations are helping identify the skills gaps in their community and the education and career pathways needed to address them.
“In North Carolina, PBS Charlotte convened an Economic Mobility Town Hall to generate dialogue among community stakeholders in order to identify systemic issues and develop supportive pathways to create greater economic mobility within Charlotte.
“The grants established by the Partnerships for American Jobs Act would provide critical support for these activities at local public media stations throughout the country, helping ensure that every community can connect students and workers to the education and training pathways for the high-skilled technical careers that their local economy needs.
“We are honored that Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Meuser’s legislation recognizes the important and powerful role local public television stations can play in providing workforce training and helping bring their local community together to address the skills gap.”
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About APTS
America's Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Contact:
Kate Riley
202-654-4206
kriley@apts.org