CHERRY HILL, NJ – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), joined the crew on the long-running PBS television series This Old House to film episode 1706/3806 “Net Zero Blanket” (Jamestown, Rhode Island part 6 of 13). Norcross spoke with VoTech students about the importance of apprenticeships and assisted with electrical work.

“My electrical apprenticeship training allowed me to learn-and-earn, so I could support a young family while learning a trade. It set me on a path toward a fulfilling, family-sustaining career, and it ultimately led me to serve in Congress,” said Congressman Norcross. “America needs a well-trained workforce to help build our future, and apprenticeships are critical to our success. This Old House is bringing much-needed attention to apprenticeships with their Generation NEXT program and I hope our collaborations help us lift up high-quality career training programs.”

Norcross graduated from an IBEW apprenticeship program and worked for years installing and restoring power for New Jersey homes, businesses and industrial sites before being elected to Congress.

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• Norcross introduced the bipartisan Pre-Apprenticeships To Hardhats (PATH) Act, which expands pre-apprenticeship programs for underrepresented populations.
• Norcross cheered the unanimous, bipartisan, final passage of H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act, which included a provision by Norcross that extends the allowable use of funding for career-building programs.
• In an op-ed in Roll Call during Infrastructure Week 2018, Norcross said we must “encourage both the work and the workers who will rebuild America.”
• Norcross welcomed television personalities, construction workers and apprentices from This Old House to Washington, DC for a conversation on addressing the skills gap in America through apprenticeships.
• Norcross introduced the 529 OPTIONS Act in Congress to help make apprenticeship training more accessible to America’s students.
• Norcross led a bipartisan tour of apprenticeship training centers for members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
• In an op-ed in The Star-Ledger, Norcross wrote, “an apprenticeship program shaped my life – taking me from construction work to Congress.”
• Norcross was selected to serve on the House and Senate Joint Super Committee on Pensions.
• Norcross was named Co-Chair of House Democrats’ “Rebuilding America” task force.
• Norcross hosted colleagues in South Jersey for a daylong forum on ‘The Future of Work, Wages and Labor.’
• Norcross founded the Congressional Building Trades Caucus, which launched a bipartisan infrastructure series.
• Norcross was appointed to serve on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and he vowed to represent New Jersey working families.

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Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov