{"id":2943,"date":"2026-06-24T14:40:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=2943"},"modified":"2026-06-24T14:40:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T14:40:39","slug":"congressman-liccardo-unveils-new-legislation-to-create-educational-paths-into-tech-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=2943","title":{"rendered":"Congressman Liccardo unveils new legislation to create educational paths into tech industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Congressman Sam Liccardo introduced new legislation aimed at create pathways between community college students and the technology sector at a press conference on Monday at West Valley College in Saratoga.<\/p>\n

Read more Los Gatos introduces new budget calculations, predicts a healthy surplus<\/a><\/p>\n

Liccardo is the U.S. representative for California\u2019s 16th congressional district, which spans south San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Half Moon Bay and Pescadero. He introduced the Supporting Knowledge Through Industry-Led Learning Act, abbreviated as the SKILL Act. According to materials from Liccardo\u2019s office, the bill aims to address the loss of entry-level white-collar jobs due to artificial intelligence and the poor track record of federal programs like the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to help displaced workers find new jobs.<\/p>\n

The SKILL Act creates a new tax credit within the general business credit to promote investment in designated workforce development programs designed to be completed in less than two years. These can include curriculum development, skills assessment development, internships and applied learning opportunities, registered apprenticeship programs, provision of labs and donations of cash, equipment and personal services. Contributing employers can receive a $2,500 credit for each student who completes a related program and an additional $2,500 for every graduate they hire.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this AI-driven economy that we are increasingly in\u2026 we don\u2019t know what the jobs and the skills of the next decade will be, but we an be certain that our employers will know before we do,\u201d Liccardo said. \u201cAnd so, with this legislation,\u2026 we are endeavoring to break down the silos between the private sector and the critical public sector educational systems to ensure that the two can co-create curricula that can help adults who may be dislocated by a rapidly changing economy, or helping students who are coming into the workforce for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through the bill, $500 million in tax credit authority will be allocated annually to states on a per capita basis. Each state would assign an agency the ability to award credits to qualifying community colleges, public colleges and universities or registered apprenticeships and to certify businesses\u2019 eligibility to claim the credit.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy incentivizing companies with tax credits, we think we can get them to put skin in the game, and when their skin\u2019s in the game, then we know they\u2019ll be creating something that they will need\u2013that is, a talent pipeline,\u201d Liccardo said.<\/p>\n

Bradley Davis, chancellor of the West Valley-Mission Community College District, spoke about the district\u2019s initiatives in building career pathways for their students. He mentioned workforce programs in megatronics, advanced manufacturing, instrumentation and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cA substantial share of high-wage, high-skilled jobs being created in this valley\u2026require training that is current, that is hands-on and is built in direct partnership with the employers doing the hiring,\u201d Davis said. \u201cThat is precisely what community colleges were built to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Attorneys say \u2018trigger-happy\u2019 cops shot and killed a 15-year-old California boy<\/a><\/p>\n

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Louis Stewart, head of ecosystem development at NVIDIA, spoke of the need for jobs in the technological sector to be filled by skilled people and how the bill would create a framework that aligns employers and public education with job-relevant pathways to meet workforce demands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal is not just new technology. The goal is new opportunity,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIn an AI era, workforce policy is competitive policy. This isn\u2019t a choice in front of us. Build a human layer now.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was some concern about efforts to combat Big Tech\u2019s influence, namely after voters in Monterey Park approved a permanent ban on data centers after residents feared negative environmental effects, increasing utility prices and proximity to homes, according to The Guardian.<\/p>\n

Liccardo said that despite fears of job loss, the demand for tech jobs is still booming, with NVIDA looking to hire 3,000 software engineers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think it\u2019s imperative that we recognize that we are in a global battle for the future, and by simply turning our backs and hoping the technology will go away, we\u2019ll be handing the keys to that future to China and to others who may not have our best interests at heart,\u201d Liccardo said.<\/p>\n

Gabriel Huerta, a Valley Water instrumentation and controls technician and former Mission College student, emphasized the impact of being connected with industry leaders on his career. He said he aspired to break into the technical field but lacked an engineering background. He added that his employers at Valley Water supported his educational involvement, which included paying for the remaining classes he needed to finish his degree. Huerta, 25, is now pursuing a mechanical engineering degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople should try and do these community college programs,\u201d Huerta said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of opportunity; even just completing a two-year program could get you open a lot of doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Warriors select Yaxel Lendeborg with No. 11 pick in 2026 NBA Draft<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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