Rep. Norma Torres (D-California) and Secretary Cardona first visited Ontario's De Anza Middle school. They were there to highlight the school's use of pandemic relief funds and visit several classrooms, including an Arabic language class and a robotics and coding class.
"The visit to the middle school was important because it really tied in what is happening here," Rep. Norma Torres said. She and the secretary also visited the Chaffey College InTech Center, which offers training and apprenticeship programs for skills like welding and industrial electrical work.
Torres says the InTech Center is critical because it's helping local manufacturers find the employees they need. "We have jobs available, but we need people with soft skills. They can't come into this job not knowing anything about the job, and that is what the InTech center is providing," Torres said. "It's filling that gap between zero skills to some technical skills in order to get into a job."
Secretary Cardona says the InTech Center and De Anza Middle School should be an example of how schools should look across the country. "I saw the next level of where we should be going in terms of preparing not only our youth for the jobs of today and tomorrow, but our underemployed adults in our communities that need another chance as well," Cardona said.
He also spoke of President Biden's $5.8 trillion budget proposal for the 2023 fiscal year. "I'm proud that the President's budget proposal yesterday provides $200 million for programs just like this one so that we could see more Americans fulfilling their dreams and getting out there, getting skills, and providing for their family," Cardona said.
Other stops on the secretary's visit included stopping at a San Diego education summit and visiting Los Angeles Unified School District schools on Wednesday.
