President Donald Trump will sign an executive order directing the federal government to prioritize skills over degrees in its hiring practices, Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced Friday.
The federal government is the largest employer in the U.S., with roughly 2.1 million citizens on its payroll, according to the Associated Press. Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and adviser, has been involved with reforming the federal government’s hiring practices.
“We are modernizing federal hiring to find candidates with the relevant competencies and knowledge, rather than simply recruiting based on degree requirements,” she told the AP in a statement. “We encourage employers everywhere to take a look at their hiring practices and think critically about how initiatives like these can help diversify and strengthen their workforce.” (RELATED: Melania Trump Feeds Baby Elephants In Kenya, Ivory Burn Sites)
Today, President @realDonaldTrump will sign a skills-based hiring Executive Order.
This EO recognizes that on the job training & experience often means more than a college degree.
Thank you @IvankaTrump for being a true leader in this field! https://t.co/MqDmarjx58
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) June 26, 2020
“Americans are eager to get to work but they need our help,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told the AP.
Text of the order has not been released, but Trump is expected to sign it Friday afternoon while participating in a round table with the Workforce Policy Advisory board.
