1) Fact Sheet: U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Talent for Growth Task Force Introduction
To ensure inclusive economic growth that benefits our people and to maintain our collective leadership in existing and emerging technologies, the TTC will announce the establishment of the Talent for Growth Task Force at its meeting on December 5. The U.S.-EU TTC is committed to collaborating to build middle-income careers for millions of workers in both the U.S. and EU.
The U.S. and EU share the goal of increasing our competitiveness so all our workers and companies can succeed in the global economy. Our economies will lead in this century if we create systems that recognize the talent we have and provide millions of workers with the skills needed to continue to power our growth, which is built on ever-changing technological innovation. These technologies include evolving technologies like semiconductors, AI, robotics, 3D printing, and quantum computing. Technology has enormous promise to create millions of new jobs, solve previously intractable problems, and create economic growth. The U.S. and the EU need workers trained in the skills for the jobs affected by these technologies.
Both the U.S. and the EU have stepped up our investments in technology and workforce development. These investments will create the economic conditions that will develop workforces with much needed skills, benefit our people, and spur the next wave of economic growth.
Together, we can learn from each other and draw on each other’s strengths as we invest in the talent of our people.
The TTC Talent for Growth Task Force will bring together government and private sector leaders from business, labor, and organizations that provide training, building on existing initiatives on both sides of the Atlantic. The goal of the Task Force is to exchange best practices, and to serve as a catalyst for innovative skills approaches.
We have a collective objective to develop systems of training for our working-age populations and means of recognizing the talent of all our people. The Talent for Growth Task Force will advise the TTC on the actions needed to achieve this. Members will work with and encourage their respective communities to: learn from each other, share taxonomies and tools and inspire innovation on training programs; engage the public on the rewarding careers in technology sectors, including a focus on underrepresented communities; exchanges on training programs that meet the changing demands of the market to build a skilled workforce that fosters growth and uninterrupted supply chains, and to provide small- and medium-sized businesses access to talent pools to foster competition; and help generate middle-income jobs to create a more resilient and equitable middle class.
The strategy and work plan of the Task Force will be developed by its members. Initial expectations are that there will be collaborations to:
a) Share best practices, policies, tools, and data for talent development through skills training.
-- Create opportunities across sectors to share best practices, including strategies for collaboration, taxonomies, and tools.
-- Exchange on effective policies that contribute to the reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.
-- Examine the means of data and tool sharing to identify candidates for roles, needed training, effectiveness of training, and job placement.
-- Share best practices and use cases on how technology (XR, AI) can help to provide more personalized and immersive learning and training experience.
-- Share information on funding models.
Concrete output: Document implementable models and ideas for the U.S. and EU on best practices for skills training and upskilling for jobs affected by technology.
b) Showcase training opportunities between the U.S. and the EU.
-- Draw on successful training programs such as apprenticeships that are used by multinational companies in other countries in which they operate.
-- Promote a shared understanding on specific skills needs that could inspire training programs in American and European companies.
-- Explore models to pair private technology skills-training (like boot camps) with government programs.
-- Identify and promote easy-to-adopt talent development programs for small- and medium-sized businesses.
Concrete output: Document implementable models and ideas for the U.S. and EU on expanding training opportunities for the U.S. and the EU workforce. Encourage businesses and labor, as well as educators and non-profits, to act on the Task Force’s findings.
c) Communicate the benefits of participating in careers in the technology sector.
-- Identify barriers to knowledge about in-demand technology jobs, and barriers for women and people, notably young people, from underrepresented communities to consider these jobs.
-- Use social media and digital platforms to showcase the exciting promise of these jobs and training opportunities.
Concrete output: Document implementable models and ideas to communicate the benefits and access to jobs in technology to target audiences, including underrepresented communities. Encourage businesses and labor as well as educators and non-profits to act on the Task Force’s findings to help promote the awareness and benefits of these jobs and all sectors to use their networks to amplify the messages tied to market needs.
Formation and Milestones:
Secretary Raimondo and Executive Vice-President Vestager will announce the Task Force on December 5 at the Washington, D.C. meeting.
Early 2023: Four leaders from Europe and four from the U.S. -- one each from government, business, labor, and organizations that support training -- and additional participants will be appointed in early 2023. It is anticipated that they will serve for an initial term of 12 months.
The Task Force will make many announcements of programs during its tenure that builds awareness of talent as a key part of our collective technological competitiveness.
Six months milestone: The Task Force will report to the TTC co-chairs on the initial recommendations made by members and their communities, aiming for several announcements of recommendations and ideas. In addition, it will present a preliminary strategy for the work of the Task Force.
One year milestone: The Task Force will produce a short report that highlights its achievements and progress on its objectives.
https://www.commerce.gov/news/fact-sheets/2022/12/fact-sheet-us-eu-trade-and-technology-council-ttc-talent-growth-task-force
2) U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager Announce U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force [press release]
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/12/us-secretary-commerce-gina-raimondo-and-european-commission-executive