Guerrera forward thinking on workforce training

For nearly nine terms, state Rep. Tony Guerrera has made it one of his priorities to push for targeted education programs to help train the state’s workforce for new and expanded skills needed by companies growing in Connecticut. Now, Tony is seeking to move this effort to the state Senate, running for the soon-to-be vacant 9th District seat. I urge voters in the district to support him based on his demonstrated track record of hard work and success.

Consider some of the legislation he has strongly supported — creating a Workforce Training Authority to help growing businesses connect with customized training programs that link to local hiring, and developing a landmark initiative within the state Department of Labor to implement new job training opportunities through a mix of public and private funds. He’s also behind increasing the pool of vocational-technical teachers by, among other things, reducing the number of years of industry experience needed for certification and requiring the expansion of night, weekend and online course offerings in the field of manufacturing.

Tony Guerrera gets it — the more teachers the state turns out with manufacturing expertise, the more students who can be trained in this field, and the more companies that will be attracted to our state by an available talent pool. This is the kind of forward-thinking Connecticut needs to compete in the manufacturing marketplace.

This is the kind of leadership Tony will provide when he’s chosen by voters in Rocky Hill, Newington, Wethersfield, Middletown and Cromwell as the Democratic candidate for state senator from the 9th District Aug. 14, then elected to the Senate Nov. 6.

J. Scott Lamberson, chairman, Cromwell Democratic Town Committee