May 1-3, 2023 | Washington, D.C.
We are thrilled to welcome you back in-person for this year's Skills Summit!
Preview the schedule at a glance for 2023.
This is a working agenda. Please check back frequently for updates.
1:00 – 3:00 pm
3:00 – 3:30 pm
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Welcome from National Skills Coalition
Rachel Unruh, Chief of External Affairs, National Skills Coalition
Plenary: Realizing the Equity Promise of Infrastructure Jobs - Join a discussion with national leaders one year after historic federal investments in infrastructure and job creation.
Panelists:
Broderick Johnson, Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Executive Vice President, Digital Equity, Comcast
Rep. Andy Levin, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
Melissa Wells, Special Assistant to the President, North America’s Building Trades Unions & Elected Member, Maryland House of Delegates
Andy Van Kleunen (moderator), Chief Executive Officer, National Skills Coalition
Dr. Alma Salazar Bridgebuilder Award
Break
Remarks from Members of Congress
Plenary: A View from Inside the Beltway - Advocating for Inclusive Skills Training in 2023. Hear from leading government affairs professionals about NSC’s 2023 policy agenda, how it connects to key economic issues, and what matters to policymakers on the Hill.
Panelists:
Nicole Barcliff, Policy Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Allison Dembeck, Vice President of Education and Labor Advocacy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Katie Spiker (moderator), Managing Director of Government Affairs, National Skills Coalition
7:00 – 8:45 am
9:00 – 10:30 am
10:30 – 11:00 am
11:00 – 12:00 pm
12:00 – 2:00 pm
2:00 – 2:30 pm
2:30 – 3:30 pm
3:30 – 3:45 pm
3:45 – 5:00 pm
5:00 pm
Breakfast
Remarks from Members of Congress
Plenary: Making College Work - Learn about what states have done to make quality postsecondary credentials affordable and how to advocate for similar changes at the federal level.
Panelists:
Paul Fain (moderator), Journalist, The Job
Anne Kress, President, Northern Virginia Community College
Jennifer Stiddard, Senior Fellow, National Skills Coalition
Jermaine Williams, President, Montgomery College
Break
Concurrent Sessions
Session A: How federal policies can build on state innovation and advance skills training for all - Join state advocates, practitioners, and leaders from the Biden Administration in a discussion about innovative implementation of federal policies and the next generation of federal legislation required to advance high-quality, equitable skills training.
Session B: A bipartisan conversation about skills training in 2023 - Hear bipartisan perspectives from key legislative staff about the prospects for a range of important federal skills training policy in 2023.
Lunch
Plenary: Skills Training in the Fight for Good Jobs and an Inclusive Economy - Hear a Q&A with Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers followed by a panel discussion on how skills training policies are part of the effort to improve job quality and build a racially equitable workforce, and how skills training advocates can be allies in the fight for good jobs.
Panelists:
Brooke DeRenzis (moderator), Chief Strategy Officer, National Skills Coalition
Angela Hanks, Chief of Programs, Demos
Stewart Knox, Secretary, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (Invited)
Tameshia Bridges Mansfield, Vice President, Workforce and Regional Economies, JFF
Break
Concurrent Sessions
Session A: Policies to drive equity-advancing industry partnerships - Industry partnerships are expanding good job opportunities for historically marginalized workers, helping local businesses develop an inclusive talent ecosystem, and acclerating local economic growth. Learn what those partnerships look like and how federal policy can support and scale them in communities across the country.
Session B: Cultivating pathways to quality training for quality jobs - Accessible and equitable pathways to quality training and jobs are foundational to building an inclusive economy, but how do we get there? Hear panelists explore this question and discuss policies to support quality programs, credentials, and jobs.
Break
Strategy Session for Taking it to the Hill
Learn how to educate Members of Congress on federal skills training policies and how to make the most out of your Hill visits. Take time to strategize with other advocates from your state.
Reception
Legislative Briefing: Digital Equity @ Work - A Capitol Hill briefing on what Congress can do to close the digital skill divide.
Hill Day - State delegations attend Hill meetings to meet with Congressional Offices and members of the Biden Administration.
4:00 pm Reception
This is a working agenda. Please check back for updates.
Curious to know how 2022 went? Check out past plenaries and sessions.