Bridging the Gap
To meet the divide between the supply and demand of skilled workers, we must increase the basic skills of the emerging and incumbent workforce.
Workplace education is a promising approach to helping low-skilled workers obtain additional skills and education that lead to higher paying jobs and greater family income. Unfortunately, it receives insufficient attention. In the wake of the Great Recession, many employers remain in need of skilled workers to be competitive. Lower-wage workers could fill many of these jobs if they could access training that facilitates advancement.
Research shows that from 1915 to 1980, the supply and demand for skilled workers was in alignment. However, since 1990 the demand for skilled workers has outstripped the supply, contributing to both growth in income inequality and reduction in workplace productivity.