August 3, 2012  
 
Contacts:
Heather Greenaway, 571-215-6151
Kevin Lawlor, 202-372-5524

APSCU Responds To July Jobs Report

Washington, D.C. – Former Congressman Steve Gunderson, the president and chief executive officer of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU), today released the following statement in response to the unemployment figures issued this morning:
 
“Today’s news that the U.S. unemployment rate rose last month from 8.2% to 8.3% signals that our economy, at best, is moving sideways.  In order to break this trend, American workers must acquire the skills needed to earn careers in industries that are showing positive signs of growth. 
 
“One ray of light in the jobs report is the health care industry, which grew in July and is expected to grow twice as fast as the national economy over the next decade, increasing the demand for skilled workers in this sector.  Private sector colleges and universities are providing the critical educational skills to fill this demand by awarding 58% of all certificates in the health care field in 2010.
 
“Right now, America’s private sector colleges and universities are teaching students of all ages and backgrounds the skills that they will need to land a job in the growing health care industry.  These colleges and universities stand ready to meet the needs of the 21st century workforce not just in health care, but across the board, wherever there is a need for qualified workers.  Private sector colleges and universities will play a role in getting the economy back on track if we can work with the President and Congress to find ways to bring our students into the fold, instead of piling on burdensome regulation.”