H.R. 1642: Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025

The "Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025" aims to enhance the relationship between small businesses and career and technical education (CTE) graduates. Here are the key provisions of the bill:

Definitions

The bill establishes a definition for career and technical education, referring to existing legislation to clarify what it encompasses.

Small Business Development Centers

Changes are proposed to the Small Business Act regarding Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). These changes include:

• Educational Information on Hiring: SBDCs are to provide small businesses with information on hiring graduates from career and technical education programs.
• Relevant CTE Programs: Information will also be provided about CTE programs that align with the needs of small businesses and how to leverage these programs to fulfill hiring requirements.
• Resources for Graduates: SBDCs will facilitate connections between CTE graduates and the resources available at SBDCs to help them establish or expand their own businesses.
• Connecting Opportunities: There will be efforts to connect small businesses with CTE programs, helping graduates identify job opportunities within those businesses.

Women’s Business Centers

Similarly, the bill updates provisions regarding Women’s Business Centers to include:

• Resources for Women-Owned Businesses: These centers will provide educational information to women-owned businesses on hiring graduates from CTE programs.
• Career Opportunities for Women: Information on CTE programs will be disseminated to assist women in understanding how they can utilize these graduates to meet their hiring needs.
• Access to Support Services: Women’s Business Centers will make resources available to graduates of CTE programs to help them access services to start and grow their businesses.
• Identifying Career Paths: The centers will connect women-owned businesses with CTE programs to aid in career opportunity identification for graduates of such programs.

Goal of the Bill

The primary goal of the legislation is to strengthen the connection between small businesses and CTE graduates by enhancing educational resources, providing business support services, and facilitating hiring practices that favor graduates from these programs. It is expected to better align the skills of graduates with the needs of small businesses, ultimately supporting economic growth and job creation.

Relevant Companies

None found