by Alex Nuti-DiBiasi, Journal-Opinion
Austria and Vermont share more than the Von Trapps.
Yesterday, Gov. Phil Scott and the Austrian Ambassador to the United States signed a memorandum of agreement (PDF) to collaborate on developing apprenticeships, vocation training, and technical education.
“For the last seven years, my team has focused on the need to grow our workforce and to help fill the good jobs we have available right now,” said Scott in a statement. “Any strategy to increase the skill and size of the labor pool should include an emphasis on apprenticeships and on the job training. It’s also important for us to learn from friends abroad, like our partners in Austria, how to best serve Vermonters into the future.”
“This exchange is a win-win—it is in the interest of U.S. businesses and Austrian subsidiaries alike,” said Ambassador Petra Schneebauer. “We are looking forward to this new dialogue and to working and sharing our expertise with our friends from Vermont. Our newly-established apprenticeship cooperation is the next step in our growing relationship with the State of Vermont after the State Partnership Agreement between the Vermont National Guard and the Austrian Armed Forces was signed last year. We are pleased to continue to work together and deepen our relationship on both of these issues.”