A series of proposals being offered by Governor Scott Walker are designed to help students prepare for college and the job market, along with getting unemployed Wisconsinites back to work.
An executive order announced by the governor will create a college and workforce readiness council. Walker says the panel will look for ways to help employers, colleges, and universities team up to train students for high-demand fields. The governor says it will address a “big frustration” expressed by employers around the state, who say they have jobs but cannot find enough qualified workers to fill them.
Walker says the council will also look for ways to create partnerships between high schools and tech schools, which could increase the use of dual enrollment at those institutions.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:09)
The jobs plan also calls for adding 14 new workforce development employees to help people find open positions and doubling the number of job fairs held around the state each year.
Walker is also offering his support for two pieces of legislation being considered at the Capitol. One of those bills would make it easier for veterans to find work by allowing them to obtain professional credentials from the state based on their active duty jobs. The other would allow people to continue collecting unemployment benefits while training for a new job.
Walker made the announcement Monday morning during a stop in Pulaski.
Contributed by Rick Schuh, WHBY