In 44% of low-income Nebraska families, neither parent has any post-secondary education.
In 2018, 66% of jobs in Nebraska will require post-secondary education.
There is a skills gap in our state: too many folks lack high school and post-secondary credentials, and too many jobs require them. This is a problem for workers now, and for our overall economy in the future. The health care, financial, and science industries in our state will struggle to grow without a solid workforce.
That’s why the conversation at Nebraska Appleseed’s 2010 Building Nebraska’s Future Workforce Forum was so valuable. There are solutions to our skills gaps in Nebraska that benefit families and contribute to our economic well-being. Creating “bridge” programs to link low-skilled workers to post-secondary education, increasing child care assistance, and strengthening our adult education programs are just a few of the actions we can take.
At the end of the day, opportunities for low-income families in Nebraska are a win-win-win: opportunities increase family economic well being, decrease need for assistance programs, and increase our economic competitiveness. The time is now to set our sights on winning strategies to address the skills gap in Nebraska.
“Training is Key to Jobs” – Omaha World-Herald