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Skills Summit Highlights ‘Best Practices,’ Training Strategies
CWA President Morton Bahr and Ed Whitacre, chief executive officer of SBC, joined educators, government officials, top corporate officers and community service providers, April 11, for a National Skills Summit, sponsored by the Department of Labor and held at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Labor Secretary Alexis Herman hosted the daylong summit, “Building Skills for the New Economy,” which looked at “best practices” and effective strategies for improving skill education and training.
Bahr stressed the importance of partnership among unions, employers, government and academia to provide workers with the best possible educational programs. CWA’s goals, Bahr said, are both to ensure that members stay ahead of the technology curve in a competitive job market and that they find satisfaction in their work.
He outlined several CWA initiatives including the Alliance for Employee Growth and Development at AT&T and Lucent; a new partnership with Cisco Systems that is providing continued training for military personnel with telecommunications skills, dislocated workers and CWA members seeking to upgrade their skills; an Internet-based college degree program established with telecom companies and various distance-learning programs.
Bahr also noted CWA’s partnership with SBC Communications in expanding opportunities for learning, which include programs with universities in southern California and Connecticut.
Whitacre emphasized the importance of the company’s relationship with CWA. Stressing that there is a growing demand for skilled personnel across the communications industry, he pointed out that SBC is trying to recruit 10,000 technicians and has 41,000 employees eligible for retirement next year.
Labor Secretary Alexis Herman hosted the daylong summit, “Building Skills for the New Economy,” which looked at “best practices” and effective strategies for improving skill education and training.
Bahr stressed the importance of partnership among unions, employers, government and academia to provide workers with the best possible educational programs. CWA’s goals, Bahr said, are both to ensure that members stay ahead of the technology curve in a competitive job market and that they find satisfaction in their work.
He outlined several CWA initiatives including the Alliance for Employee Growth and Development at AT&T and Lucent; a new partnership with Cisco Systems that is providing continued training for military personnel with telecommunications skills, dislocated workers and CWA members seeking to upgrade their skills; an Internet-based college degree program established with telecom companies and various distance-learning programs.
Bahr also noted CWA’s partnership with SBC Communications in expanding opportunities for learning, which include programs with universities in southern California and Connecticut.
Whitacre emphasized the importance of the company’s relationship with CWA. Stressing that there is a growing demand for skilled personnel across the communications industry, he pointed out that SBC is trying to recruit 10,000 technicians and has 41,000 employees eligible for retirement next year.