Moulton talks tech jobs, health care

July 11--IPSWICH -- The future economy needs workers ready to take on jobs in technology, but today's America needs to resist the Republican's proposed health care bill.

That was the message when Congressman Seth Moulton sat down with leaders at EBSCO Information Services in Ipswich, along with other companies, to discuss the gap between the many jobs available in technology and the vastly smaller pool of workers qualified to fill them.

Throughout the country, there can be half a million tech jobs open throughout a 90-day period, according to a news release from Moulton's office. This is despite the industry creating over 100,000 new jobs last year and employing more than 7 million people.

The Championing Apprenticeships for New Careers and Employees in Technology Act, would help workers learn tech jobs hands on through an apprenticeship program created between a public-private partnership.

Moulton spoke of the importance of training new workers for the jobs of today as many future jobs in technology don't even exist yet.

"This is about competitiveness," he said, noting that it's not just Massachusetts versus the rest of the country, but also making sure the United States can keep up with the world.

"As we face the challenges of the new economy -- an economy that is changing more rapidly than ever before -- folks like you can be a real part of educating the next generation workforce," Moulton said.

Tim Collins, CEO of EBSCO, which has offices all over the world but is headquartered in Ipswich, has about 1,400 workers in Ipswich and Topsfield, but has about 50 jobs open.

"It's a challenge that hurts us every day," Collins said.

While this act would help new workers of the future, Moulton spoke strongly against the current American Health Care Act, proposed as a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

"The current Republican health care bill isn't even a health care bill," Moulton said. "How do you call a bill that takes away health care from millions of Americans a health care bill?"

Moulton pointed out that multiple Republican senators are against the bill, and 85 percent of people oppose it as well.

"That's because people are speaking up," he said. "It's because activism works and we need to keep at it to prevent this bill from passing."

Arianna MacNeill can be reached at 978-338-2527 or at amacneill@salemnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SN_AMacNeill.

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