Commerce.gov is getting a facelift soon. See the new design.

Get your weather forecast from the National Weather Sevice at Weather.gov. Enter your "City, State", or zip code in the form below.


Syndicate content

The Latest From The Commerce Blog

Secretary Pritzker Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Oregon and Washington Business Leaders on Importance of International Trade

Submitted on February 20, 2015 - 5:45pm
Categories:
Secretary Pritzker talks with employees of the Leatherman Tool Group, Inc during a tour

On Tuesday, Secretary Penny Pritzker visited Portland, Oregon and Takoma, Washington where she held roundtable discussions on the importance of trade to our economy with key area business leaders.

Secretary Pritzker started the day with a tour and visit to General Plastics, in Takoma, Washington, a leading manufacturer of plastic-based goods. During the tour she heard from local business leaders about their experiences exporting to foreign markets and some of the challenges they currently are facing. During the roundtable discussion with local businesses, Secretary Pritzker noted how trade and exports benefit American manufacturers, such as General Plastics.

Later in the day, Secretary Pritzker visited the headquarters of Leatherman Tool Group, Inc. a leading manufacturer of multi-use tools in Portland, Oregon. Leatherman currently employs 500 Oregonians and exports their products to over 100 countries around the world. During the roundtable discussion, Secretary Pritzker highlighted how the current trade deals being negotiated will strengthen U.S. exports, manufacturing, and improve American competitiveness in the global economy.  Local business leaders from Intel, Columbia Sportswear and Columbia Green also participated in the discussion.

read more

Deputy Secretary Andrews visits Phoenix Manufacturer and Highlights Power of Exports to Local Economy

Submitted on February 20, 2015 - 5:30pm
Categories:
Deputy Secretary Andrews Tours APS BioGroup in Phoenix, Arizona

Yesterday, Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews visited Phoenix, Arizona to learn about local businesses who export goods. He first joined Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and APS BioGroup President & CEO Bob Davies for a tour of APS BioGroup’s manufacturing facility. The Phoenix-based producer and manufacturer of health products exports their goods to 57 countries. Exports have been part of the company since its inception, and in 2011, it received the President’s “E” award for increasing U.S. exports.

After seeing APS BioGroup’s facilities and meeting employees, Deputy Secretary Andrews talked with local business leaders about the importance of trade and exports to the local, regional and national economy. Exports support 11.3 million jobs nationwide, and they support nearly 96,000 jobs in Arizona. In 2013, Phoenix exported $11.5 billion, making the city the nation’s 27th largest export market.

In addition to exports, American prosperity is directly tied to our ability to reach new markets and new customers beyond our borders. To gain access to the 95 percent of consumers who live outside the United States, it is crucial that Congress pass trade promotion legislation, which will enable the Obama Administration to negotiate two major trade agreements. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) are comprehensive, high-standard trade and investment agreements that are currently in the midst of negotiation. Reaching an agreement on TPP and TTIP will give American companies a level playing field to compete with other countries for opportunities with approximately 65 percent of the world’s GDP. American access to markets abroad will also enable U.S. businesses to expand, hire more workers, and pay better wages at home.

During a roundtable with Phoenix business leaders and Mayor Stanton, Deputy Secretary Andrews highlighted the advantages of America implementing new trade agreements around the world, which consist of promoting our values, raising standards, and maintaining a global, competitive edge for our businesses. With our leadership and involvement in TPP, we are bringing together critical strategic alliances with partners around the world – ensuring that the United States continues to shape and define the global economic culture. Currently, the U.S. has 14 trade agreements in force with 20 countries. Mexico is Arizona’s largest export market, representing 36.4 percent of the state’s total merchandise exports. Countries around the world want American goods, and these new trade agreements will help our businesses get their goods and services into more people and countries, creating jobs and growth.

Staying Ahead of Technology: Innovating on Education to Close the Technical Skills Gap

Submitted on February 19, 2015 - 5:13pm
Categories:
Adam Enbar, CEO of The Flatiron School

Guest blog post by Adam Enbar, CEO of The Flatiron School.  In the last several years, The Flatiron School has made a name for itself training passionate, creative students for careers in web and mobile development. The school maintains a 99% job placement rate at companies that employ technical talent, including Etsy, Boeing, and Google.

In the United States, there are currently half a million open “tech jobs,” and that number is only expected to grow over the next 10 years. These are good jobs—with reported median salaries of more than $90,000. The key to matching job-seekers of this and future generations with these positions lies solely in access to passionate teachers and a relevant technical education.

To this end, new educational models are created every day. In general, there are four ways new models can help students get the skills they need to succeed. They can help more people access technical training, align their curriculum with the realities of today’s job market, inspire K-12 students with the power and potential of technology, and aim to improve people’s lives through education.

Expanding Access to Education

Half the challenge of encouraging people to pursue a technical education is increasing access to education in general. As the cost of higher education rises at a record pace, an increasing number of people are being left out of the opportunity to pursue any sort of advanced skill training.

The success of the GI Bill underscores the need for a larger idea of what it means to obtain an education. People come from different backgrounds and learn differently. As educators, we should accommodate these differences and advocate for more options for learning. As employers, we should do the same—more accessible education means a more skilled labor force and a more diverse talent pool.

Over recent years, government at all levels has stepped in to remedy this problem. In his 2015 State of the Union, President Obama outlined a plan to provide free Community College education to anyone who needs it. At the local level, New York City’s Tech Talent Pipeline initiative, which kicked off with the NYC Web Development Fellowship, offers free, outcomes-oriented technical training to low income New Yorkers without a college degree.

read more