U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer visited Columbus Monday to spotlight major workforce investments from two corporate giants, as the Trump administration pushes to rebuild manufacturing jobs and reduce America’s trade deficit.
Anheuser-Busch announced a $300 million manufacturing investment through its “Brewing Futures” initiative during a press conference attended by Chavez-DeRemer. The investment includes a new regional Technical Excellence Center in Columbus, expanding a program that has provided skills training to more than 1,200 employees since 2022.
“Anheuser-Busch is demonstrating exactly what it means to put American workers first,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “They have been a shining example of what ‘Made in America’ means, and their latest investment of $300 million builds on a longtime commitment to grow our workforce and expand U.S. manufacturing.”
The labor secretary also joined McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger at a Lewis Center restaurant to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the company’s Archways to Opportunity educational program. The initiative has provided over $240 million in tuition assistance to more than 90,000 restaurant employees over the past decade.
McDonald’s and its franchisees also pledged to hire up to 375,000 workers for the summer, adding to their existing workforce of nearly 800,000 across more than 14,000 U.S. locations.
“Investments and milestones like these add momentum to our job market and help create a more capable workforce,” Chavez-DeRemer said.
During her visit, the secretary also met with building trades and first responder unions at the Central Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters’ Columbus facility. The roundtable discussion covered topics including President Trump’s executive orders on artificial intelligence and apprenticeships, OSHA safety standards, deregulation to drive economic growth, and police recruitment.
The Central Midwest Carpenters organization currently has approximately 2,300 apprentices in Ohio and maintains partnerships with over 200 schools.
The Columbus visit is part of the administration’s “America at Work” initiative aimed at highlighting job growth and workforce development efforts across the country.
