As job market advances, so can American workers

The US has enough work to go around. It just doesn't have a workforce trained to do it.

from the September 19, 2007 edition

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Improve transitions: To help workers continually advance, the US needs to improve transitions at every level. To do this, the country needs to collect data and set goals on student transitions. Kentucky improved adult learners' transition to postsecondary education as part of its comprehensive reform of adult education in 2000. Kentucky Adult Education conducted extensive pilots, outreach, and awareness and formed partnerships to make students aware of how to make the transition to a postsecondary program. The rate of GED graduates enrolling in postsecondary education within two years rose from 12 percent in 1998 to 19 percent in 2002.

Involve employers: Employers rank a qualified workforce at the top of their list when choosing business locations. Many states now use several funding sources, including economic development funds, to connect employers in key industries with postsecondary education and job-training services. Together they identify occupations in which there are critical shortages and pull together services to fill them.

Build capacity through innovation: Existing dollars are scarce, but some states are proving that by leveraging funding in creative ways, students can earn much-needed credentials. Colleges in Ohio receive more funds for educating nursing and engineering students than for general education students. Oregon uses WIA funding to support programs that help students earn credentials.

Measure results: By using more effective data, the US can track what's working and what needs improvement. The leader in this area is Florida, which has built a data warehouse that includes data on K-12, college, university, and career and technical students, as well as those in private colleges and vocational trade schools.

Lead from the top: States that successfully used public resources to train knowledge workers all shared one key ingredient – committed leadership. Without support from the top, it is very difficult for people on the ground to truly collaborate with one another or with employers.

Half a dozen states are way ahead of the federal government in creating knowledge workers to fuel their economies. Congress, with the reauthorization of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act, has an opportunity to realign federal programs to help all states and localities meet the needs of both workers and businesses. It is time to acknowledge that what worked in 1974 is not going to meet the needs of workers in 2007.

• Julian L. Alssid is the founder and executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center, a nonprofit organization that seeks to strengthen the nation's economy by producing a prosperous and globally competitive workforce.

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