PUBLICATIONS

Reports

Illinois' Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs (Kermit Kaleba and Andrea Mayo, September 2008)

This analysis reveals that middle-skill jobs make up over half of the jobs in Illinois' labor market. Without greater investments in education and skills training, future growth in the supply of educated workers will likely fall short of the growth in labor market demand.

Washington's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs (Kermit Kaleba and Andrea Mayo, June 2008)

Middle-skill jobs make up the largest portion of the Washington State labor market and will continue to do so for years to come.  Yet too many Washingtonians do not have the education and training needed to meet this demand. 

State of the States: Skills and the Economy in Governors' 2008 Keynotes (Shawn Fremstad, Rachel Unruh, and Andy Van Kleunen, April 2008)

Skills2Compete analyzed governors’ State of the State and budget addresses to see how their priorities aligned with four key Skills2Compete priorities. Governors whose keynotes and priorities demonstrate a commitment to the Skills2Compete priorities are identified as Skills2Compete Superstars.

Election ’08: Candidates’ Proposals for Growing the Economy by Investing in People (Shawn Fremstad, Rachel Unruh, and Andy Van Kleunen, December 2007)
 
Skills2Compete analyzed policy statements made by each of the major party Presidential candidates to assess their public positions on workforce education issues. The analysis specifically examines candidate positions in relationship to three issues that are core to the Skills2Compete vision.

America’s Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs: Education and Training Requirements in the Next Decade and Beyond (Harry Holzer and Robert Lerman, October 2007)

Executive Summary

Holzer and Lerman's analysis reveals that middle-skill jobs make up nearly half of the jobs in today’s labor market. Without greater investments in education and skills training, future growth in the supply of educated workers will likely fall short of the growth in labor market demand. 

Brochures and Fact Sheets

Restoring America's Position as a World Leader that Grows its Economy by Investing in its People
Download the Skills2Compete campaign brochure to learn about the case for Skills2Compete.

  Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs: State by State Snapshots
Fact sheets for every state showing the percentage of current and future middle-skill jobs, examples of high-demand middle-skill jobs, and the state's middle-skills gap.

 Compiled fact sheets 
A compilation of the Skills2Compete campaign fact sheets.

 Middle-skill jobs demand 2
Middle-skill jobs require training beyond high school, but not a four-year degree, including an associate’s degree, occupational certification, or an apprenticeship.

 Other countries are prospering with 2
The U.S. spends only .04% of its GDP on job training, ranking 21st out of 25 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries internationally-and far behind countries like Great Britain, Germany, France, and Canada.

 Leading states are innovating with 2
Georgia, Washington, and Michigan are just a few of the states ensuring their competitive edge by taking steps to guarantee that their residents have access to at least two years of postsecondary education or training.

 Community leaders are demanding 2
America’s local newspapers reveal deep concern about filling jobs that require up to 2 years of postsecondary education or job training.

 Voters want to grow the economy with 2
A July 2007 poll shows a majority of Americans believe the government should invest more in job training to help workers adapt to changes in the economy.

 The benefits of investing in 2
 Ensuring America’s workers have the skills to compete accrues benefits to individuals, businesses, and communities alike.

 The returns on investing in 2
Regardless of the sponsor, system or program studied, and the methodology used, return on investment (ROI) findings for workforce development programs are consistently positive.