Skilled Workers, Quality Jobs: Meeting the Needs of Wisconsin’s Workers and Businesses

“In Wisconsin and nationwide, quality of life is intimately linked to one’s place of work. Despite [the] state’s high labor force participation rates and strong work ethic, nearly one-quarter of working families in Wisconsin are low-income, and thousands of residents work in jobs that don’t provide family-supporting wages and benefits… At the same time, Wisconsin is facing a series of demographic and workforce shifts that are threatening the future of our state’s economy. An aging and increasingly diverse population, combined with growing education and skills shortages, pose tremendous challenges to the future productivity and success of Wisconsin’s workforce” (p.1).

“This policy brief addressed these two interconnected and inseparable challenges facing [the] state. [The authors] started with some basic data on Wisconsin families in economic distress, then highlighted key challenges on the horizon for Wisconsin’s workforce and economy. The report concluded with key policy levers that can address Wisconsin’s workforce challenges while helping to improve outcomes for our state’s working families” (p.1). (Abstractor: Author)

“Recommendations include: • Increase investment in adult basic education. For many working adults, lack of basic math, literacy, and computer skills stand in the way of any opportunity to move toward family-supporting work. The state should invest more heavily in building this first rung toward decent jobs. • Increase overall spending. A sizeable increase over current spending is needed to reach more individuals eligible for basic skills instruction in the state. • Increase per-pupil spending. Success in adult education programming is better guaranteed by spending more money per pupil. • Improve access to education and training for low-income working adults. As opposed to traditional students (young adults without children, financial obligations, or jobs), working adults, many of them parents, must fit school in between work and family. • One way to ensure that those who do not have the time or means to pursue skills development outside of work is to deliver technical college instruction at the workplace. • Wisconsin’s major financial aid programs are designed to benefit students who attend our colleges and universities at least half time. For many working adults, especially those with children, carrying a half-time load is simply impossible. • Integrating basic education and vocational training is one way to promote successful transitions of adult education students. By allowing students to pursue basic education and occupational training simultaneously, co-taught by an [adult basic education] instructor and vocational trainer, we stand to greatly increase the number of workers who graduate with a valuable associate degree in hand. • Tracking transition rates of basic education students to and through post-secondary education are crucial to setting goals and evaluating success. • At the state level, a strong minimum wage is part of the solution. Wisconsin’s minimum wage is currently $6.50 per hour, and it will increase to $7.25 in July 2009 due to federal law. • At all levels of government, from local to the state, elected and administrative leaders should focus on building stronger job quality. State grants, loans, tax credits, training, and other supports should promote the creation and viability of jobs which provide a decent standard of wages and benefits" (p.8-10). (Abstractor: Author and Website Staff)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2008
• Author(s): Individual authors not identified
• Organizational Author(s): Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS)
• Funding Source: Self-funded
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
• Posted by: Wesley Peterson
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies