President Unveils Free Community College Plan

On Jan. 9, the White House unveiled a proposal to make two years of community college free for many students. At the same time, President Obama announced a new American Technical Training Fund to prepare Americans for better-paying jobs by connecting skills development to the needs of employers.

Building on a model that has been used by Tennessee and Chicago, the president’s America’s College Promise proposal would allow students to attend community college with two-years of tuition paid for by federal and state governments.

Given the federal budget situation and the ongoing debate about the proper role of the federal government, there are considerable questions about whether making community college a new entitlement is the right course of action.  But ATEC commends the administration for highlighting the country’s skilled, technical worker shortage and looks forward to working with Congress and the president on this important issue.  Simply put, the aviation maintenance industry depends on trained technicians and there are important opportunities for the federal government to help schools and companies get more workers into the pipeline.

Stay tuned for more updates as the association continues  its advocacy on workforce policy issues in the months ahead. For more information on the president’s proposal, please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/09/fact-sheet-white-house-unveils-america-s-college-promise-proposal-tuitio