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More than 3 million jobs nationally are going unfilled, in part because employers report that they are unable to find workers with the skills needed for the jobs they have available. According to a recent Manpower survey, 52 percent of U.S. employers struggled to fill critical positions in 2011, up from just 14 percent in 2010. The National Skills Coalition notes that all too often, key industries are unable to find enough sufficiently trained workers for middle-skill jobs — jobs that require more than a high school diploma, but not necessarily a four-year degree.
The need for funding is reinforced by a new report from the Iowa Skills2Compete Coalition. The report urges Iowa to ramp up public investments in adult basic education, career pathways, and industry sector strategies to meet the demand for skilled workers.
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