(Salem, NH) – Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) met with community, business and education leaders at the Salem Career and Technical Education Center (Salem CTE) to discuss and receive feedback on workforce issues facing the Salem Region and efforts to support workforce development initiatives. Kuster highlighted her legislation, the Workforce Development Investment Act, which would create tax incentives to encourage companies to partner with education providers to develop workforce training programs for skills that are in demand within their community or region. In addition, the bill would create a separate credit for the cost of direct training conducted as part of an educational partnership or licensed apprenticeship. This spring, Kuster will release a workforce development agenda which will include comprehensive legislative solutions to increase economic opportunity in New Hampshire and across the country.

“In today’s ever-changing economy, it is critical that we provide workers with access to training programs that will allow them to pursue the jobs of the 21^st century,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “The Salem CTE and all of the organizations that are represented in this discussion are influencing the workforce of the future in a way that helps both workers and businesses thrive. I appreciate the opportunity to hear their insights, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to develop policies that will increase opportunity for people across New Hampshire and around the country.”

“On behalf of Salem High School and the Salem CTE Center we would like to thank Congresswoman Kuster for leading today’s roundtable on workforce development, a topic that is vital to the success of our students and to the state and local economy,” said Chris Dodge, CTE Director. “Further, we thank her for her continued support of Career and Technical Education at the federal level as a member of the House Career & Technical Education Caucus.”

Kuster was joined by Christopher Dodge, Director of the Salem CTE; Mary Stewart, Director of Education and Workforce Development at Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI); Jessica Dade, Industry-Education Alliance Manager and Auto Tech Student Recruiter at the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association (NHADA); Mary Moisan, Nurse Educator at New England Rehabilitation Hospital (NERH), and Salem CTE students.

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