U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Blue Earth, announced a bipartisan bill with U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-Dennis Township, that attempts to address the problem of not having the proper training for available jobs.
The representatives hope the bill will allow people to pursue vocational training using pre-tax dollars from 529 savings plans that currently are used for colleges and university tuitions, according to the Fairmont Sentinel.
"For more than a generation, younger Americans have been discouraged from seeking vocational and skill-based training,” Hagedorn said to the news agency. “Our bill is designed to help reverse that trend and create opportunity. Businesses are begging for machinists, welders, truck drivers and an array of other qualified trades and labor-intensive professions, most of which offer excellent pay and long-term stability. Investing in our workforce to grow our economy is a bipartisan goal.”
The bill expands eligibility for accessing the 529 dollars to allow for using it for vocational training, according to the news agency.
Alerts Sign-up