White House Senior Adviser Ivanka Trump delivered the keynote address at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon, despite the flurry of controversy leading up to her appearance.
With all eyes on the presidential daughter, Ivanka stole the spotlight in a navy pinstripe pant suit by Racil. She first wore this pinstripe suit last September when unveiling the first ever National Youth Sports Strategy in Washington, D.C. The Casablanca double-breasted pinstripe tuxedo blazer features longline hem, white peak satin lapels and directional slant buttons, floral-print lining and padded shoulder. It retailed for $843, but it is on sale for $337 at Net-A-Porter.com. She paired the blazer with the matching navy pinstriped wide-leg trousers. Known as the Charlie pinstriped pants, the stretch wool wide leg sit high on the waist, creases through the front, side seam pockets and turned-up cuffs. It retailed for $595, but it is on sale for $238 at Net-A-Porter.com.
While the suit separates are still available to purchase and on sale, below are similar pinstripe alternatives for much less
Sitting onstage with Consumer Technology Association CEO Gary Shapiro, Ivanka discussed how the administration is advocating for employer-led strategies that invest in re-skilling workers, create apprenticeships and develop K-12 STEM education programs. She touted the administration’s investments with industry to create apprenticeships while talking about ways technology could smooth the hiring process for workers.
“We need to harness technology and data to enable people to have their information in their iPhone,” Ivanka said. “Why can’t you have your high school degree verified and in your phone, so an employer doesn’t need to call your high school and find out, did you in fact graduate? So it takes the friction out of the process. It’s all verified, it’s right there. All of that should be cataloged and tracked and accessible and available, and empowering the individual, as opposed to locked-up and siloed in the HR department of a company where, if you leave, it stays with them as opposed to travels with you.”
Other topics discussed included Ivanka role in the administration to advance STEM education in schools, as well her work in securing more funding for childcare and paid parental leave.
“We fought for and secured a commitment to our workforce that we will offer 12 weeks of paid paternity, maternity, and adoption leave for all federal workers,” Ivanka said.
Trump’s appearance as a keynote speaker stirred controversy in the buildup to CES, with critics arguing that the White House senior adviser was unqualified to address the massive tech show. On social media, hundreds tweeted #boycottCES since the conference organizers announced Trump would speak at the show late last month. But despite the noise on social media, Ivanka comments at the CES 2020 drew polite applause and cheers.
“There are a lot of women who are doing a lot of work to help women in tech and build products that help women and help children and families,” Sara Mauskopf, the CEO of the child-care startup Winnie, said in an interview. “Ivanka Trump is not one of them.”
Mauskopf was planning to attend the show after her company won an award. But she decided not to go once she learned Ivanka was announced to speak at the event.
CTA, the industry trade group that organizes CES defended the decision to include Ivanka as a keynote speaker.
“CTA invites officials from every White House – both Republicans and Democrats – to participate in and speak at CES,” she said in a statement. “Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump leads the White House efforts on job creation and economic growth through workforce development, skills training and entrepreneurship – and she will address them directly at CES 2020.”
Shapiro said he has no regrets inviting Ivanka, adding that she has done “great work.”
“The White House – through great work by Ivanka Trump and Wilbur Ross and others has basically gotten industry together and said, ‘Look, we have to approach this with a national strategy,’” Shapiro told BBC. “vanka Trump actually co-chairs the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, whose members include companies like Apple, Walmart and IBM. She also co-chairs the National Council for the American Worker, which has received pledges for more than 300 companies, to create over 12 million new training opportunities for students and workers over the next five years. There’s been a whole range of issues – substantively, definitely a focus there on workforce issues. And that is part of the CES discussion.”
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