MILWAUKEE – WMC Foundation, through its Future Wisconsin Project, released a report on Friday that breaks down the state’s workforce challenges and proposes a variety of recommendations to help grow Wisconsin’s workforce and the state’s economy well into the future.
“Wisconsin has a math problem,” said Kurt R. Bauer, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) President & CEO. “Our state’s population growth is stagnant, and that serves as a direct impediment to job growth and a strong economic future.”
The report, titled the Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation, blended statistical data and long-form interviews with the state’s business leaders to determine specific challenges and how to address them.
The findings of the report are broken into six areas of focus:
- Attract and Retain Talent
- Upskill Existing Workers
- Improve Career Pathways
- Promote Apprenticeships, Youth Apprenticeships, Internships and Other Work-Based Learning for Students
- Promote Career Awareness
- Reach Disconnected Groups
“Wisconsin’s workforce challenge can be broken into two groups: attracting more working-age people and upskilling the workforce to be ready for the jobs we have available,” added Bauer. “We need a robust marketing campaign that brings more people into Wisconsin and we need to be a national leader when it comes to apprenticeships, internships and training opportunities for current and future workers.”
The Future Wisconsin Project report was released on Friday morning in Milwaukee on the first stop of the Wisconsin Workforce Tour. The tour will also make stops in Madison, Appleton, Wausau, Eau Claire and La Crosse.
Click here to view the full report.
The Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation was prepared for WMC Foundation by Economic Leadership, LLC, a nationally acclaimed consultancy group that develops economic and workforce strategies.
