White House advisory board calling for investment in digital infrastructure

AppleInsider

A White House advisory panel, which includes Apple CEO Tim Cook, will call for an "unprecedented investment in digital infrastructure" to bolster the post-coronavirus economic recovery.

A meeting of the The American Workforce Policy Advisory Board on March 6, 2019. Credit: The White House

The White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board on Tuesday will call for the government and the private sector to work together on a tech infrastructure plan to support future jobs once the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, a source told Reuters.

According to a White House official briefed on the plan, the goal is to set up displaced workers with pathways to learn new skills and upgrade old ones so that they can move into "good jobs in rebounding fields" as the economy recovers from the pandemic.

That could include streamlining of occupational licensing and education requirements, reduction in licensing costs, and increasing reciprocity, Reuters reports.

The board also wants the federal government to "allow student financial aid for high-quality, short-term, market-aligned credential programs."

"Our nation cannot achieve a satisfactory post-pandemic recovery unless the technological infrastructure is in place to connect and empower all Americans to participate in the workforce," the source told Reuters.

Along with Tim Cook, the board is co-chaired by Ivanka Trump, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson and IBM Executive Chairman Ginni Rometty.

Four U.S. companies -- Walmart, Salesforce, IBM and Workday -- will announce "Interoperable Learning Records" that could help workers and employers match job applications with open positions.

The U.S. lost approximately 20.5 million jobs in April, the biggest drop since The Great Depression. The unemployment rate is currently at 14.7%, breaking the previous record set in 1982.

boondock

Is there any more details? I am more interested in getting infrastructure for rural areas to have access to better internet speeds vs just having training available.

Dan_Dilger

boondock said:

Is there any more details? I am more interested in getting infrastructure for rural areas to have access to better internet speeds vs just having training available.

I grew up in distantly rural country, so I understand the desire to want better internet. 

But what does subsidizing the small % of people in remote areas have to do with creating jobs? 

Building modern, competitive data links where companies can use them and lots of people can be gainfully employed is pretty critical to the US remaining relevant as China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere build out centers of high tech investment. 

ktappe

The trick is whether the White House will listen to the advisory panel. Recent events where advice was not heeded makes me think this would not be a good thing to hold your breath over...

chasm

These are some great plans coming out of the advisory panel, but I do fear it will get left behind when the focus shifts to something else. The spending will also require Congress to act ... and I think I'll just leave that right there.

Still, it really is nice to see Tim's influence on some in the White House paying off, and I genuinely applaud these proposals and hope they will be able to sustain attention and get funded.

GeorgeBMac

OK... So we block the roll-out of 5G infrastructure here by attacking the #1 company world wide while our own technology companies spin their wheels competing against each other instead of investing in modern technology to advance the interests of the nation....  

So what, specifically, is suggested here?

-- "the goal is to set up displaced workers with pathways to learn new skills and upgrade old ones"

    Translation:   We'll teach coal miners how to code.  Didn't we already try that?  Several times?

--  "allow student financial aid for high-quality, short-term, market-aligned credential programs."

    Translation:   Funnel more money into DeVos' private, for-profit schools.  So, why the rich get richer, students end up with more debt.

--  "streamlining of occupational licensing and education requirements, reduction in licensing costs, and increasing reciprocity,"

    Translation:   Lower the bar & claim another "success".   China has sailed past us by raising the bar not lowering it.   Lowering it gets votes, not jobs.