Introduction Introduction by the Vice President Dear Mr. President, In your State of the Union address in January, you asked me to lead an across-the-board review of America’s job training programs to ensure they share a single mission: providing workers with the skills they need to secure good jobs that are ready to be filled. This report details specific actions that the Administration is taking as a result of this review and outlines further steps we can take in the future as we work to grow our economy and the American middle class. Let’s step back and consider the big picture. When we took office, our country was in the throes of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Millions of people were losing their jobs, homes, and retirement savings. Many middle-class Americans who had worked hard all their lives feared they would never recover. To reverse the spiral, we enacted the Recovery Act, made historic investments in clean energy and infrastructure, unlocked critical lending to small businesses, and cut taxes for average American families. We rescued the iconic American auto industry, which has created over 460,000 jobs since 2009. We cut our deficit by more than half as a share of the economy, the most rapid reduction since the end of World War II. We enacted Wall Street reforms to prevent another crash on Main Street and provided millions of Americans access to affordable and secure health insurance. Thanks to your strong leadership, and because of the grit and determination of the American people, we are growing again, and our competitive edge is sharper than ever. Businesses are hiring at historic rates, with 52 consecutive months of net private sector job growth. Manufacturing is back, with 668,000 new jobs in the past 52 months. Exports have increased to record-breaking levels for four straight years, reaching $2.3 trillion in 2013. We have the world’s most skilled and productive workers, the strongest intellectual property laws, the most affordable and reliable energy supply, and the finest research institutions. The world has taken notice. According to A.T. Kearney’s annual survey of global business leaders, in 2013 the United States overtook China, India, and Brazil to be the world’s single most attractive location for foreign investment, for the first time since 2001. In 2014, the United States was again named number one, this time by the widest margin ever recorded. In every sector, from heavy industry to advanced manufacturing to energy to information services, America is rated the best. But as the United States becomes an ever-more attractive place to invest and expand operations, how will employers find the skilled workers they need to compete? The job-driven training agenda I present to you today is aimed at widening this pipeline. It will create new jobs and career pathways to meaningful, satisfying, and well-paying work – all by tapping the full potential of our country’s greatest natural asset: the American people. Getting middle-class Americans back on a road to success is a commitment we’ve shared since we took office. It’s not just about economics. Our middle class is the reason we’ve been so resilient, so 2