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Stabenow Unveils High-Skilled Job Training Plan

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow unveiled a plan Tuesday in suburban Detroit designed to boost states' high-skilled job-training programs.The Michigan Democrat said the New Skills for New Jobs Act would build on efforts in Michigan and several other states that are helping community colleges work with local businesses to provide worker training.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow unveiled a plan Tuesday in suburban Detroit designed to boost states' high-skilled job-training programs.

The Michigan Democrat said the New Skills for New Jobs Act would build on efforts in Michigan and several other states that are helping community colleges work with local businesses to provide worker training. Stabenow's bill would provide a federal match equal to the state training reimbursement from efforts such as the Michigan New Jobs Training Program, which was established in 2008.

Once the trained workers are on the job, state income tax payments are used to pay back the community colleges for the training. The federal match — quarterly payments to the colleges — would reimburse the institutions more quickly and increase the number of eligible companies and workers, Stabenow's office said in a statement.

"The New Skills for New Jobs Act will leverage successful job training partnerships between our community colleges and local businesses to help close the skills gap so our workers are able to get good jobs right now," said Stabenow, who shared details of the proposal at Oakland Community College's Advanced Technology Center in Auburn Hills.

Businesses have said that they are having trouble finding qualified workers for many skilled jobs.

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