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AP Fact Check: Cheers Premature for Job Training Program

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - There was more flash than substance Thursday as the White
   House celebrated the anniversary of an initiative to spur job training
   by companies.

   The initiative, led by President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka, has
   garnered commitments from 300 companies to provide 12 million training
   opportunities in the years ahead. But there are questions about how
   much the administration is willing to spend to help U.S. workers,
   whether the agreements by companies will result in higher salaries and
   whether employers will stick to their nonbinding pledge if the economy
   sours.

   A look at the celebratory rhetoric:

   Ivanka Trump: "This administration believes that every American should
   have a chance to earn a great living doing work that they love. ... The
   president's call to action for the pledge has become a full-blown
   national movement. Over the last year, more than 300 businesses, 300
   businesses, have signed the pledge, businesses large and small, and
   today we celebrate reaching 12 million pledged commitments. ... This
   pledge is more than just a number. Every single pledge is a commitment
   to the promise of an individual and his or her potential."

   Vice President Mike Pence: "That is an astonishing accomplishment."

   The Facts: It's much too early to declare the pledge a game changer for
   working Americans.

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