FROM: LABOR DEPARTMENT
Ingenuity, Training Make American Goods Shine in Detroit
American ingenuity, jobs and workers were the focus of a whirlwind tour of Detroit by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez on Jan. 13. Perez began his day at the North American International Auto Show, where he was joined by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and members of the Michigan congressional delegation. He assessed the new lineup of automobiles and talked to industry leaders about growth in the auto industry. Later that day, the group of dignitaries met with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and William F. Jones Jr., director of Focus: HOPE Family Learning Center for Advanced Technologies, where they participated in a roundtable discussion on opportunities to strengthen transportation career pathways, and enhance skills training, industry and community partnerships. Perez then met students and staff while touring the training facility. "I look at the Department of Labor as the Department of Opportunity," he said. "We try to match the right worker with the right employer. We do that by supporting strong community programs like Focus: HOPE." Perez also meet with staff and students at the UAW-Ford Technical Training Center and visited Shinola, a company that manufactures watches, bicycles and leather goods. The visit was part of the Obama administration's efforts to enhance local economic revitalization and ensure that existing resources effectively support local priorities.
