We were invited by the National Skills Coalition (NSC) to a Business Leaders United (BLU) fly-in to provide testimony in NSC’s advocacy efforts to secure more funding for apprenticeship programs. Jeffrey Bond spoke about his experience as a CHW at FIGHT and blew people away. Lorelei Gauthier, FIGHT’s Chief Strategy Officer, provided the employer perspective. We met with staffers working on behalf of Representative Susan Wild, Senator Roy Blunt, and Senator Bob Casey as well as presented to a large group of DOL managers.
All staffers were receptive to our feedback and impressed with 1199C’s and FIGHT’s partnership. Attached are a couple of photos (one is with Casey’s staffer and one is Jeffrey addressing department managers from the U.S. Department of Labor, several of whom run programs like Ready to Work and America’s Promise).
We met our counterparts from around the country who work in automobile manufacturing, construction, and hospitality, and made great contacts with organizations like ours that help create sustainable jobs. The meeting with Casey also allowed us to thank him for his support of FIGHT in helping expand our services, and his staffer made note of that. Susan Thomas highlighted how important the partnership is. An NSC staffer let Lorelei know she’d be in touch about having FIGHT talk about their work again in future advocacy efforts.
Pictured is Jeff Bond addressing the DOL audience along with panelists (including Susan) representing healthcare, hospitality (Keith Schulle Area Director HR Wild Dunes Resorts, SC) and construction (Veda White, CEFGA Student Success Manager, Atlanta) industries.
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