by Benjamin Yount
The state’s largest business group says Gov. Tony Evers’ could have done better with his latest workforce development effort.
The governor on Tuesday announced plans to spend $60 million in coronavirus stimulus money to try and get more people back to work in the state.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to addressing the workforce challenges across our state, so these funds are critically important to encourage regions and communities to develop cutting-edge, long-term solutions to the unique workforce challenges they face,” the governor said.
The money will go for everything from child care in Door County, to schools in Milwaukee, to a rural healthcare worker training program, to a boost for manufacturing across the state, and even a program to allow people in prison to get a degree from the UW System.
Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, told The Center Square the governor is missing the mark.
“While we appreciate his attention on the issue, we strongly believe that he should focus on talent retention, talent attraction, and talent expansion, which would mean reintegrating people back in the workforce,” Bauer said.
Bauer and his group have been sounding the alarm for years about Wisconsin’s worker shortage. He says aging workers and slow growth in the state’s population means Wisconsin will have a desperate need for workers soon.
“We need the governor to use the funding included in the state budget to convince more people to move to Wisconsin,” Bauer explained. “We simply don’t have enough in-state talent to fill the jobs we have as our Baby Boomer dominated workforce reach retirement age. If we don’t add people, we will lose jobs and all the economic activity that goes with them, including tax revenue. Evers doesn’t seem to understand that.”
Bauer said WMC conservatively estimates there are at least 40,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin. He said there are also needs in everything from healthcare to schools to bars and restaurants.
“We need to get our labor participation rate back up,” Bauer added. “Pre-COVID, it was the fifth best in the nation at just under 70%. It is now 66.6%. Each percentage point equals roughly 45,000 workers.”
The $60 million from Gov. Evers is part of a $100 million promise that he made earlier this year. The governor’s office says they will spend the rest sometime next year.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Tony Evers” by Governor Tony Evers. Background Photo “Office Employees” by Hillyne.
