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Secretary of Commerce Stops in Atlanta

August 23rd, 2013

U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker was in Atlanta Friday. The secretary’s visit was part of a multi-city “listening tour.” The idea is to get a sense of businesses’ needs and priorities in order to grow American jobs.

Hear the broadcast version of this story.

Secretary Pritzker toured the Global Center for Medical Innovation in Midtown. The non-profit organization works with experts to bring new medical technology to the marketplace. One of the companies they work with is digital vision systems. CEO Keith Thompson showed Pritzker a device he’s working on that he says will improve the accuracy of eye exams.

“Once that’s assembled here, we’re going to move that unit into this room and actually do a clinical trial here,” Thompson said. “So, next time you come by, we’ll get you a better pair of eyeglasses or contacts, if you wear them.”

After the tour, Pritzker said as she’s traveled the country, a common problem businesses face is a lack of skilled labor. As a result, she said schools need to better prepare students for the workforce.

“We have to be more flexible in the kinds of paths were offering young people,” Pritzker said. “So, if you’re interested in a more technical field, you could potentially get into those quicker.”

To do that successfully, she said, they’ll need invested partners.

“We need to involve the business community in the training that’s going on so that people are gaining training that is geared toward the jobs that exist out there,” she said. “And that’s where the Commerce Department plays an important role.”

Pritzker said she, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez are all committed to working together to improve job preparation programs.

Georgia is trying to address the issue. Starting this year, high school students can choose one of 17 career pathways or fields of study. State officials hope the program will not only boost graduation rates but better prepare students for college or careers.