Ann Feyerherm and David Smith Call for Reskilling California's Workforce for Higher Wage Jobs

Unemployment is dropping in California but a large share of the jobs being created are low-skill, low-wage positions in areas such as leisure & hospitality and personal care services. Dr. Ann Feyerherm and Dr. David M. Smith co-authored an opinion calling for California to make an outsized investment in reskilling California’s workforce for higher skill, higher wage jobs. California is expecting a roughly $15 billion budget surplus next fiscal year. These extra dollars are largely earmarked for rainy-day funds and stimulus payments. However, California could allocate those dollars toward training programs, low- and no-cost college and reimbursement for business training. Now is the time to invest to ensure our workforce has the skills to succeed now and in the long-term. Acquiring new skills will enable Californians to fill high-wage earning gaps in the jobs marketplace. To get there, reskilling the workforce can start in the following three areas: Skills for problem-solving and teaming; skills oriented to where future jobs will be and targeting workers to fill them; and skills that benefit the organization and society.

The full article is available on Capitol Weekly.