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A Statement of Andy Van Kleunen, CEO National Skills Coalition
“The good news in today’s jobs report is that America is nearing full employment. The bad news, however, is that our economy will stall if we fail to address the impending skilled worker shortage facing employers across the nation. Today’s reporting on the JOBS numbers indicates that business would be adding even more jobs if they could find qualified applicants. The common sense solution to skilled worker shortages is to invest in higher education and workforce programs so we can arm people with the skills and training they need to qualify for one of this country’s six million open jobs. Workforce training builds a pipeline of skilled workers so business can fill critical positions, and it helps people step up into better jobs.”
National Skills Coalition has a full menu of policy ideas that would bridge the skills gap. One of the most critical: modernizing our federal financial aid system to extend Pell grants and other financial aid to students taking high-quality, short-term programs proven to lead to industry-recognized credentials in in-demand fields.
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National Skills Coalition is a broad-based coalition of employers, unions, education and training providers, and public officials working toward a vision of an America that grows its economy by investing in its people so that every worker and every industry has the skills to compete and prosper.
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