46 MMS December 2017 mmsonline.com
SHOP TALK
director of the National Institute for Manufactur-
ing Skills (NIMS).
The task force is chaired by Secretary Acosta
and vice-chaired by Education Secretary Betsy
DeVos and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
Among its members are representatives of U.S.
companies, industry groups, educational institu-
tions and labor unions. The group will submit to
the White House a report recommending federal
initiatives to promote
apprenticeships, admin-
istrative and legislative
r e f o r m s t h a t w o u l d
facilitate the formation
and success of appren-
t i c e s h i p p r o g r a m s ,
strategies for creating
i n d u s t r y- r e c o g n i z e d
apprenticeships, and
the most effective strat-
egies for amplifying and
encouraging private-
sector initiatives to pro-
mote apprenticeships.
"There are 6.1 million
u n f i l l e d j o b s i n t h e
U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d
a n o t h e r 6 . 8 m i l l i o n
people seeking employ-
me nt. Manufactur ing
alone will see 2 million
jobs go unfilled over the
next decade due to the
s k i l l s g a p," M r. K i n g
says. "Apprenticeship
is the 'work-and-learn'
solution that we need.
Apprentices learn in-
d e m a n d s k i l l s f r o m
industry experts while
g e t t i n g p a i d , w h i c h
eases the apprentices'
s t u d e n t d e b t a s a
result. Apprenticeship
is a win for individuals
and industry."
NIMS, call 703-352-
4971 or visit nims
skills.org.
NIMS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
APPOINTED TO TASK FORCE ON
APPRENTICESHIP EXPANSION
U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Alexander
Acosta announced members of a new Task Force
on Apprenticeship Expansion. The advisory group
has been appointed to identif y strategies and
propose regulations to grow apprenticeship. The
task force will include Montez L. King, executive