Gillibrand Announces Support for Skills Gap Legislation
Gillibrand referred to the 2011 survey by the Manufacturing Institute and said that “more than 600,000 manufacturing jobs are unfilled due to a shortage of skilled workers. Two-thirds of small business leaders and more than half of all business leaders struggle with recruiting employees with the right education and training.” She noted this was particularly true for what she described as “middle-skill” jobs that require training at a level somewhere between a high school diploma and a four-year college degree.
She continued, “By 2018, 21 of the 30 fastest-growing jobs will require a postsecondary certificate or degree. These jobs make up nearly half of America’s labor market, and nearly half of all of the openings over the next decade for highly compensated jobs.”
Gillibrand on WAMC
