US Election 2024: Kamala Harris shares key insights on redefining workforce qualifications

US Vice President & Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris visited a semiconductor facility in Saginaw County on Monday, where she outlined her vision for reforming workforce qualifications.

Harris at the plant in Michigan asserted that many roles do not require college degrees. She pledged to reassess federal job requirements to expand opportunities for qualified workers without degrees.

“We need to get in front of this idea that only high-skilled jobs require college degrees,” Harris stated, assuring her audience that reassessing which federal jobs require a degree would be among her top priorities if she is elected president on November 5.

“One of the things immediately is to reassess federal jobs, and I have already started looking at it, to look at which ones don’t require a college degree. Because here is the thing: That’s not the only qualification for a qualified worker,” Harris said.

Investment in semiconductor industry

Harris’s visit highlighted the Democrats’ efforts to bolster the US semiconductor industry, particularly following a recent $325 million federal grant awarded to Hemlock Semiconductor under the CHIPS and Science Act.

The Vice President stressed the importance of staying current with industry trends while honoring the foundational industries that have historically supported the American economy. She said, “We have to constantly be on top of what is happening, what is current, and investing in the industries of the future, as well as honouring the traditions and the industries that have built up America’s economy.”

“When we understand who we are as a nation, we take great pride in being a leader on so many things. And we have a tradition of that,” Harris remarked. “But I think that what we know as Americans is that we cannot rest on tradition. We have to constantly be on top of what is happening, what is current, and investing in the industries of the future.”

Trump critiques CHIPS Act in Joe Rogan interview

In a recent interview on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, former President Donald Trump voiced strong opposition to the CHIPS and Science Act, a legislation aimed at boosting the US semiconductor industry. During the discussion, Trump described the law as “so bad,” arguing that it primarily benefits “rich companies” rather than addressing the needs of American workers.

Advocacy for Tariffs

During the interview, Trump proposed an alternative approach, indicating that he could have imposed tariffs to incentivize more companies to establish semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the United States.