Exclusive: Ivanka Trump pushes job growth without expensive student loan debt
More than 400 companies have signed the Pledge to America's Workers
More people in America are working than ever before, according to Ivanka Trump, senior adviser to President Trump.
Ivanka Trump and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty discussed the efforts being put into the development of America’s workforce and how it continues to drive employment numbers, during an exclusive interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“There are plenty of occupations that will require advanced degrees ... But cybersecurity, I.T., a lot of these different programs require a credential that is achievable without racking up enormous amounts of student debt”
Rometty and Trump announced that together they are launching a workforce development campaign in an effort to fill vacant jobs that emerged as a “byproduct of success,” according to the presidential adviser.
“We as a collective with our board — [Apple CEO] Tim Cook was a co-chair of this working group for us — are developing a national campaign that we're unveiling in February to really open the aperture and expose people to all the different pathways available,” Trump said, adding: "apprenticeship is one of the great ones.”
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The apprenticeship programs pledge to employ the two-thirds of Americans who do not have a college degree but are willing to be trained in a specific skill. Even though some jobs may require an advanced degree, others don’t.
“There are plenty of occupations that will require advanced degrees,” Trump said. “But cybersecurity, IT, a lot of these different programs require a credential that is achievable without racking up enormous amounts of student debt.”
Ivanka Trump speaks on Oct. 3, 2019 in Dallas, Texas, after Google announced it is committing to a White House initiative designed to get private companies to expand job training. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Rometty said since Ivanka Trump has introduced the program, IBM has welcomed 23 apprenticeships with others tagging along.
“We've got almost 100 companies [which have] been picking [up] those frameworks and going with them,” Rometty said. “And on just a very narrow slice of these apprenticeships, I'm already up to 500 a year and moving. So to me, it's very scalable for everyone that is out there.”
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Rometty began her employment efforts seven years ago, visiting high schools and community colleges in “underserved” areas and offering opportunities like mentorships and six-year combined high school-associates degrees to help students grow professionally.
“Fast forward [all] these years, 150,000 kids are coming through over 200 schools,” Rometty said. “They are, in fact, making up 15 percent of my hires last year in the United States. They and apprentices — [from] Ivanka’s apprenticeship program.”
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More than 400 companies have signed the Pledge to America's Workers, including IBM, which Trump said now commits to “new jobs and skill training opportunity” for almost 15 million Americans.