WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development, held a hearing titled “Avenues to Success: Examining Workforce Training Programs for Employees.” Subcommittee Chairman Molinaro issued the following statement after the hearing:

“Our witnesses today offered invaluable insight on leveraging registered apprenticeship programs and welcoming those with disabilities to ease America’s workforce shortage,” said Subcommittee Chairman Molinaro. “Thank you to the witnesses for emphasizing the true importance of skilled labor and extending opportunities to the disability community.”

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Below are some key excerpts from today’s hearing:

Chairman Molinaro: “Ms. Gamba, I want to start with you. We've talked about this extensively. Certainly acknowledging that since the pandemic, nearly two million Americans with disabilities have joined the workforce. It's a 28 percent increase, from pre-pandemic levels yet, as we all recognize, approximately 70 percent of those with intellectual, physical and developmental disabilities remain, unemployed and outside the workforce. And that's obviously, both a challenge and an opportunity. Could we start by just talking, if you would, what are some of the challenges that business owners, either articulate or, you know, face, when hiring those with disabilities? And what steps might we take to make that transition into the workforce easier for the employer?” Ms. Gamba: “I think they're often worried or concerned about, like, the stigma or the liability of hiring somebody that might need additional supports. As an agency, if we're going in to provide any intensive job training support. We will add the employer onto our liability insurance, which will kind of, I guess, alleviate some of the concerns that an employer may have.”

Chairman Williams: “There's been a significant shortage in skilled labor across the country for way too long and when I was secretary of state of Texas, we were always looking into infrastructure projects, but we kept running the issue of finding enough welders and other skilled tradesmen to complete the projects. We actually a lot of lost a lot of business because we didn't have welders in Texas. Mr. Stento I have worked with different community colleges around my district to emphasize their trade school programs, and so how do you think we should be promoting these options to young people so we can build up the skilled workforce and let them know there's options out there, either being a lawyer or an architect or something?” Mr. Stento: “Thank you Chairman Williams. I appreciate the question. It's something that over the last two years, I've spent a lot of time, within our district council working on is increasing our branding and our awareness. And that doesn't happen with just one touch or one conversation with, with our youth. This has happened early, and it has to happen often. I'm talking about getting in and speaking with youth in elementary school or even earlier and working with them over the years, bringing, an identity to what we do in the trades, to the projects that we work on in the community, to testimonials from those community members who would be able to speak to how these careers have helped transform their lives so early, often, and getting in before you're discussing with seniors in high school who've already had time to make up their minds elsewhere.”

Chairman Molinaro: “The skilled trades are the backbone of upstate New York. And frankly, you all contribute, both to our economy, keeping our neighbors employed and, I'll say, making sure that, projects are staffed by New Yorkers, and not employment from out of state or out of country. You talk a lot about and, of course, Mr. McGarvey acknowledged the earn while you learn, apprenticeship model. Can you just expand a little bit on the benefits of registered apprenticeships and within the time I have, what steps can we take to expand access to and support those registered in partnership programs?” Mr. Stento: “Sure. Thank you. You know, one thing, in addition to what I had already mentioned in my testimony would be hour one, apprentices are starting to gain contributions towards their health care and towards their retirement. In addition, they have structured pay raises that we, work with the New York State Department of Labor, throughout their apprenticeship program as they move, as they progress through that. They have eligibility for employee assurance programs, and then the biggest thing that I would say an advantage for an apprentice coming in would be they’re building up a skilled craft that is in very high demand, highly marketable.”

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