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these programs will help meet our state economy's demand for skilled workers.
• I have long been a supporter of STEM education and expanding access to career and technical training. Last year, I cosponsored the STEM Master Teacher Corps Act, which would help states and school districts implement a STEM Master Teacher Corps program. This program would improve retention and strengthen professional development for educators who teach STEM subjects. This spring, I became a member of the newly-created, bipartisan Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Senate CTE Caucus to strengthen and broaden access to career and technical education.
• The economic downturn led many out-of-work Americans to return to school to develop new technical skills. Our nation's unemployment level has been exacerbated in part by a skills mismatch between our workforce and the growth of highly technical industries in our economy. Although we in South Dakota are lucky to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, many South Dakotans decided to enroll in educational training to increase their competitiveness in the job market.  I regularly hear from businesses about the need for high-skilled workers and am glad our high schools, technical institutes, and universities are training skilled workers who are ready to meet South Dakota's workforce demands.
• Our economy as a whole benefits when we prioritize STEM education and CTE programs. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I recently wrote to my colleagues on the committee regarding the importance of these programs.  I will keep pushing for strong and continued funding for these priorities. The choice is clear: STEM education and career and technical training represent a worthwhile investment in our economy and are vital to our future economic prosperity.