During the Tour, the Congresswoman Highlighted Her Bipartisan “Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act” and “JOBS Act,” Which Would Help Connect Virginia Students with Technical Education & Credentialing Programs

 **CLICK HERE for Photos of Spanberger, Prince William County Public Schools Faculty, & Students at Gar-Field High School**

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger yesterday visited Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge to learn more about the career and workforce development opportunities available to Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) students.

Spanberger toured the school’s specialty programs and discussed her support for Virginia workforce development programs. Gar-Field High School offers several career and technical education programs for students — including Plumbing, Culinary, Marine Corps JROTC (MCJROTC), Computer Science, Law & Public Safety, and Environmental Engineering. During her visit, Spanberger toured the Plumbing and Culinary Arts Programs, heard from MCJROTC Cadets, and discussed legislative solutions to help connect Virginia students with technical education and credentialing programs, like her bipartisan Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act and JOBS Act.

“During my visit to Gar-Field High School, I had several opportunities to hear directly from students and faculty about how our region’s career and technical education programs are equipping students with the knowledge and skills to excel in the 21^st-century job market,” said Spanberger. “As leaders, we have a responsibility to prepare students for the demands of our workforce and economy. I remain dedicated to continuing to expand educational opportunities and federal support for students across the Seventh District.”

During the tour, Spanberger was joined by Dr. LaTanya McDade, Superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools, Matt Mathison, Principal of Gar-Field High School, Gar-Field High School MCJROTC Cadets, Gar-Field High School Culinary and Plumbing School Ambassadors, and additional Gar-Field High School faculty and students.

BACKGROUND

Spanberger reintroduced the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act in March 2023 alongside Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA-01). The bipartisan legislation would give individuals in Virginia and across the country the freedom to use their 529 savings plans to cover the costs of certain workforce training and credentialing programs. The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act is supported by the American Society of Association Executives, Virginia 529, and the Professional Certification Coalition — which represents more than 100 organizations.

Spanberger helped introduce the JOBS Act in March 2021 to expand Pell Grant eligibility for qualifying short-term workforce training programs. The Virginia Community College System has identified approximately 50 programs that would benefit from the bipartisan legislation — including in the fields of manufacturing, healthcare, energy, information technology, and more.

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