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Employers tell council: strengthen work‑based learning and define credentials of value
Summary
The WorkFuture Institute told the council employers consistently report applicants lack applied problem‑solving and workplace readiness; presenters urged employer engagement, internships and aligning credentials to employer needs.
Scott Waller of the WorkFuture Institute summarized employer roundtables that repeatedly said applicants struggle to 'apply what they've learned' to workplace problems and lack troubleshooting, critical thinking and basic math skills. “Employers are not looking to control what happens in a classroom,” Waller said; instead he urged employers to provide clear, ongoing information about skills and competencies needed and to participate in advisory roles and work‑based learning.
Waller described MSBA’s 'sent to 55' outreach and urged sustained employer involvement—HR directors, plant managers and supervisors—in setting priorities and validating program relevance. He recommended that the council prioritize internships, apprenticeships and shorter credentials that lead to measurable placement and wage outcomes, and to design a scorecard that employers can use when recruiting.
