WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNAX) – South Dakota Senator John Thune and co-sponsors have introduced the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act, a bill to address the shortage of trained workers that are necessary to fill next-generation jobs in the telecommunications industry, particularly in rural America.

Thune says there is a growing response to the need.

Thune says they want to see a cooperative effort.

The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study to determine the specific number of skilled telecommunications workers that will be required to build and maintain broadband infrastructure in rural areas and the 5G wireless infrastructure needed to support that technology.

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