PMA Member and Minnesota Senator Write Joint Op-ed on Closing the Skills Gap

Erick Ajax and an employee at his facility.
Star Tribune photo.
 PMA member Erick Ajax, co-owner of E.J. Ajax in Fridley, Minnesota, and Minnesota Senator Al Franken appear together on the byline of an op-ed that ran in the Minnesota Star Tribune over the weekend.  The piece, "Closing the skills gap is a matter of partnership," focuses on ways to build stronger relationships between businesses and two-year schools.

It begins -

Senator Al Franken (D-MN)
     "One of us owns an innovative advanced metal forming company based in Fridley; the other is a U.S. senator. Both of us share a strong belief that the United States must address the “skills gap” that has left more than 3 million good-paying jobs unfilled. We also know from our experiences that we can close this gap in a way that will connect skilled workers with jobs, help make college more affordable and boost our competitiveness in a global economy.

     By forging new and stronger partnerships between businesses and two-year community and technical colleges, we can train not only high school graduates looking for careers but also current workers who need to upgrade their skills as technology advances and industries evolve."

Read the full op-ed here.

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