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Pennsylvania State Senate
05/02/2024 02:03 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=41239
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: August 1, 2023 11:22 AM
From: Senator Jarrett Coleman
To: All Senate members
Subject: Resolution Studying Effectiveness, Duplication of Workforce Development Programs in PA
 
The need for a well-trained workforce continues to plague employers across our Commonwealth, regardless of the industry. Along with crushing regulatory and tax burdens, I often hear about the immense challenge of finding qualified employees as some of the main concerns from employers.
 
During a public hearing earlier this year in the state House, Alex Halper of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry highlighted the challenges facing employers.
 
He said, “Pennsylvania employers are desperate for people. Across all industry sectors, they are struggling to recruit and retain people to fill open positions.”
 
Numerous state agencies, including the Department of Labor and Industry, the Department of Education, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Community and Economic Development, host their own workforce development programs. Recently, Governor Shapiro created a $400 million workforce training program targeting infrastructure projects.
 
While many of these individual programs within respective state agencies have merit, despite heavy taxpayer investment, the problem of a skilled labor shortage still exists.
 
To review the effectiveness, efficiency, and duplication of state services, I will introduce a resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study our Commonwealth’s workforce development programs. More importantly, my resolution will seek the Committee’s suggestions on ways, if any, to improve our workforce development delivery to benefit all employers, which will in turn benefit our Commonwealth as a whole.
 
As groups continue to seek more taxpayer investment, this resolution will provide an important benchmark on this problem and chart a path forward to make necessary changes to improve our state’s skilled workforce shortage.
 


Introduced as SR169