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Why Voting is Important to Workforce Development

Election Day is quickly approaching in the United States and soon each person that is registered to vote will be choosing the next President of the United States as well as other federal, state, and local officials. This week, I am not going to discuss whom you should vote for, but rather why a workforce development professional should be a voter.

Workforce development professionals are funded by many different streams. Some professionals work in programs that are federally funded, such as Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and others are working in programs that are state funded. When government money keeps the doors to a program open, it is imperative that workforce professionals vote for the people that make the decisions on how tax payer money is spent.

Workforce professionals meet so many people, many of those whom cannot advocate for themselves. For example, a workforce professional may work with an impoverished single mother. The workforce professional is working not only to assist the impoverished single mother find a job, but ultimately for the well-being of the children involved. Some of the people workforce professionals meet are people whom happen to have disabilities, single parents, former offenders, immigrants, low-skilled workers, and those that are laid off.  When workforce professionals vote for candidates, the vote is for candidates that will affect the policies that assist the individuals, families we serve.  

Politicians love to talk about jobs. The discussion about jobs does not stay in one political party. Making more jobs, retaining jobs, and job loss are all discussions that are had regardless of affiliation. Workforce professionals know that a job, and ultimately the economy, is more than just a job. If a job goes unfilled due to not having a qualified candidate or if an employer cannot find a group of qualified applicants to fill positions, then there is not economic growth. Workforce professionals understand that growing the economy through job creation is not possible without the people.

Tuesday, November 8th is Election Day. As a workforce professional, it is important that you vote and represent the industry and those people that you serve each day.
~Karen Cirincione
kcirincione@gmail.com
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjcirincione
Twitter:@kcirincione

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