Jobs and Workforce Development
"I am proud of the work my office is doing to address the challenges posed by systemic unemployment in the 7th Congressional District. Through our Project R.E.A.D.Y workshops and annual Job Fair, we are working to make sure that all in the 7th District have access to meaningful career development."
- Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell
Job creation remains my top priority. My office is committed to addressing the issues that cause systemic unemployment in our district. We launched a new job readiness initiative in 2013 called Project R.E.A.D.Y — Realizing Everyone’s Ability to Develop Yourself. We believe we must provide our constituents with the information and tools they need to be successful in the job market. By partnering with career professionals and educational institutions in the district, we hosted five (5) Project R.E.A.D.Y workshops in 2013 attracting over 525 constituents and offering practical guidance about how to succeed in the workforce. We look forward to expanding our Project R.E.A.D.Y initiative. In order to be competitive in the 21st century, we must invest in our greatest resource — our people.
We continue to promote employment opportunities in our district by hosting our annual Job Fair. In August 2013, we hosted our 2nd Annual Job Fair in the heart of the Black Belt at Wallace Community College in Selma. The job fair attracted more than 2,000 jobseekers and 50 employers. We have received numerous testimonials from constituents who were helped by the opportunity to connect with local employers. Our office remains committed to implementing common sense solutions to address the challenges posed by systemic unemployment. We look forward to hosting our 3rd Annual Job Fair in 2014.
We will continue to do our part by creating opportunities for our constituents to connect with employers and to get training and the skills they need to succeed.
More on Jobs and Workforce Development
Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) joined Mayor Randall Woodfin to welcome U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to Birmingham, Alabama. During his visit, Secretary Buttigieg announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is now accepting applications for the first-of-its-kind Reconnecting Communities program.
Thomasville, AL – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) continued her Congress in Your Community Tour in Thomasville, Alabama. Rep. Sewell began by visiting Thomasville’s Westervelt Lumber Mill where she toured the facility and spoke with employees during a town hall event. She then toured the Thomasville Regional Medical Center and met with the facility's leadership to help address their urgent funding needs.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Sewell (AL-07) voted to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), legislation that will help unleash the full potential of Alabama’s workforce by ensuring Alabamians have the skills they need to succeed. Amid the strongest job growth in modern times, these investments will connect Alabamians to a record number of job openings—bringing workers off the sidelines, increasing production, and lowering the cost of key goods.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced that the greater Birmingham region will receive over $4.2 million in grant funding from the United States Department of Labor (DOL) for job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted to secure urgently needed relief for small businesses across Alabama. H.R. 3807, the Relief for Restaurants & Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act, will deliver $55 billion to replenish relief funding for restaurants and establish a new program supporting other small businesses impacted by the pandemic. The bill passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 223-203.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law she helped pass will invest $76,383,752 this year to upgrade and expand local transit in Alabama. $11,791,104 of these funds have been allocated for local transit projects in Birmingham and $4,124,766 for local transit projects in Montgomery.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) lauded the passage of the Securing a Strong Retirement Act—also known as the SECURE Act 2.0—in the House of Representatives. This robust retirement savings package, which passed yesterday by a bipartisan vote of 414-5, includes H.R. 2944, a bill that Sewell introduced to make it easier for part-time workers to start contributing to their employer’s 401k plan.
Montgomery, AL - Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) kicked off the second leg of her “Building a Better Alabama” Infrastructure District Tour with a stop at the Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) to highlight the transformational funding from President Biden’s $1 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Birmingham, AL – Today, Rep. Sewell announced Alabama has added 5,500 manufacturing jobs, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rep. Sewell helped local manufacturers create and restore jobs by passing the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced that the first round of new federal transit funding under the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is heading to Alabama to strengthen public transportation systems, support transit jobs across the state, and make urgently-needed investments, including new bus and railcar acquisitions, facility upgrades and other key projects.