Issue Position: Jobs

Issue Position

The most important thing elected offiicals can do is help grow the economy here in Virginia. With the constant threats to Federal investment we must work to diversify our economy. That is why I will fight to give Virginia based companies the first crack at state contracts, so we can grow jobs here instead of China.

The Virginia Peninsula will have over 10,000 well-paying jobs available in advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding over the coming years. We need to get our students ready for these opportunities with more emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). During my time on the Newport News School Board, our school system has taken this challenge seriously by creating two new high school STEM programs featuring health sciences and engineering. We also have a Career Pathways Program designed to get our students thinking about career plans from an early age.

As a member of the New Horizons Career and Technical Education board of directors, I have seen firsthand how essential it is to guide our students into the world of work, not just into college. I support apprenticeship programs that give our students a hands-on education in areas like plumbing and pipefitting, electrical contracting, industrial insulation and cosmetology. I support these programs and if elected to the House of Delegates I will make expanding them a priority. Investing in apprenticeships could also be a win-win in terms of attracting new advanced manufacturing employers to Virginia.

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