Acting Secretary of Labor Su, Secretary of Education Cardona visited Nevada to discuss importance of ‘Good Jobs’ in education

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona traveled to Nevada April 3-4, 2024, to stress the importance of good jobs and the need for high-quality and affordable pathways into teaching to address the shortage of U.S. educators.

During the visit, the departments of Labor and Education announced efforts to expand pathways into teaching while increasing pay and strengthening working conditions for those in early childhood, K-12 and higher education. The secretaries highlighted the Biden-Harris administration’s “Good Jobs Initiative,” a national call to whole-of-government action to help shore up access to and retain good jobs to support a thriving economy that benefits the nation.

The trip’s media coverage included the following:

Las Vegas teacher hopes her story from substitute to full-time teacher encourages others

By Jaewon Jung | April 4, 2024 (KTNV ABC)

“On Thursday, U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Dearing Elementary to talk about how apprenticeship programs, like the one at UNLV, are making a difference across the country.

‘Registered Apprenticeship programs are one way to pull from all communities to get these good jobs,’ Su said. ‘Because COVID was so difficult for many professions, but certainly for this one, we're seeing a need to focus on retention and a need to focus on recruitment’.”

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su visit Reno

By Maria Palma| April 4, 2024 (KUNR Public Radio)

“‘The result that we’re seeing in Washoe County, the 20 percent pay increase, the other conditions that we talked about today… compensation for prep time, opportunities for advancement. All of those came about because the parties negotiated for it at the bargaining table. And President Biden is a big believer in the collective bargaining process,’ Su said.”

U.S. Secretaries’ Reno Stop Highlights Educator Needs in Nevada

By Joah Meny | April 3, 2024 (KTVN CBS) 

“The U.S. Secretaries of Education and Labor visited Reno on Wednesday to highlight the Biden administration's efforts to expand high-quality and affordable pathways to teaching, as well as increasing pay and strengthening working conditions across early childhood, K-12 and higher education.

‘Jobs need to be better to attract workers in that environment, and we know that like the country, Nevada has had issues with teacher retention. Some of that is with teacher pay. President Biden has been really clear that teachers need to be paid more, and some of it is making sure workers have a real voice in their jobs, said U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su.”