Title: Three Steps Donald Trump Should Take in His Initial 100 Days
With Donald Trump's second inauguration drawing near, the divisiveness and polarization that marked the lead-up to the election are still fresh in many minds. The bitter contest between the political parties left many yearning for a return to bipartisan cooperation. Yet, recent Gallup research suggests that a significant portion of the population anticipates a year filled with political conflict.
However, it's essential to remember that while the headlines and online conversations may depict a contentious nation, the majority of voters share common concerns – chief among them, economic opportunities. Republicans and Democrats alike, share a desire for the incoming administration to take action that will bolster their financial prospects.
As President-elect Trump prepares to return to the White House, it would be beneficial for his team to heed the sentiments of the 85% of voters who voiced their desire for the administration to prioritize expanding economic opportunities for workers and their families.
Before the election, my organization, Jobs for the Future, collaborated with Morning Consult to poll more than 1,800 registered Democrats, Republicans, and independents about their desired education and workforce policies. The findings revealed strong bipartisan support for a number of policy proposals, including:
- Bolstering job training programs
- Aligning education with workforce needs
- Enhancing career guidance
- Expanding Registered Apprenticeship
The aforementioned data offers a glimpse into voter preferences on education and workforce development. With this in mind, here are three recommendations for the Trump administration in the first 100 days of their term:
Invest in Skills-Based Approaches
During his first term, Trump issued an executive order on skills-based hiring. The beginning of a new term presents an excellent opportunity to build upon that initiative through actions such as:
- Strengthening support for skills training programs that offer flexible and portable funding for rapid reskilling and upskilling courses, ensuring jobseekers, workers, and learners are prepared for high-demand, well-paying jobs. Consider implementing federally sponsored lifelong learning accounts, which enable contributions from individuals, their employers, and the federal government.
- Boost research and development (R&D) in education and workforce development, as well as innovative models of training and delivery by emulating the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Funds should be dedicated to testing new training models and delivery methods, providing promising systems and tools that assist individuals in translating their skillsets to access high-demand employment. Wider adoption of digital learning and employment records (LERs) could make it simpler for people who've gained experience through various means, like military service, to market their talents more effectively to employers.
Encourage Career Exploration
The Republican National Committee (RNC) emphasized the necessity of restructuring high schools to better prepare students for careers during the campaign. Below are steps the next administration can take to support this initiative:
- Modernize and streamline the apprenticeship system to raise its quality by upholding the requirement for structured on-the-job training, technical instruction, and a nationally recognized credential with labor market value. Implement an executive order to revitalize the national apprenticeship system, lowering requirements for apprenticeship sponsors, boosting incentives for employers and intermediaries to expand high-quality apprenticeship programs, and promoting competency-based models.
- Establish a competitive grant program awarding governors with funds and autonomy to bridge disparate education and workforce systems and prepare young people, aged 16-20, for postsecondary and career readiness. This initiative should encourage industry partners to participate by identifying the skills and qualities they seek in new employees and providing job-based learning experiences for learners.
Expand Access to Valuable Postsecondary Credentials
Affordable alternatives to four-year college degree programs were highlighted in the RNC platform. Here are actions the administration can take to help people gain postsecondary credentials that resonate in the labor market more quickly:
- Prioritize competency-based education methods, which enable students to earn credit for what they already know and acquire a credential more expeditiously. This may involve launching a program that recognizes replicable models, fosters peer collaboration, and works with the field to create best practices for evaluating student achievement through demonstration of content mastery.
- Foster a conducive environment for emerging education financing models, like income share agreements, income-contingent loans, and other forms of income-dependent financing, to flourish. Unfortunately, current regulations are limiting their growth. Through action by the administration or legislation, obstacles to alternative private financing methods for postsecondary education and training can be clarified and alleviated, while adhering to consumer safeguards and promoting innovation.
Regardless of the ongoing political tensions, the White House remains the people's residence. Economic opportunity for all is a collective concern that transcends partisan lines – offering an empowering opportunity to establish a learn-and-work system that poses no barriers to the career aspirations and financial prospects of Americans. The Trump administration can seize this opportunity in its first 100 days to set the nation's workforce on a new, prosperous course.
- The Trump administration, recognizing the bipartisan support for job training programs, could strengthen existing skills-based training initiatives, providing flexible and portable funding for rapid reskilling and upskilling courses.
- Prioritizing education that aligns with workforce needs, President Trump could modernize apprenticeships, boosting their quality and making them more accessible to a broader range of individuals.
- To promote career exploration, the administration could establish a grant program that empowers governors to bridge the gap between education and workforce systems, preparing young people for postsecondary and career readiness.
- In an effort to expand access to valuable postsecondary credentials, President Trump could prioritize competency-based education methods, allowing students to earn credit for what they already know and accelerate their credential acquisition.
