Forward Observations: ‘Strategy Act’ Not the Solution, But a Good Start

The government’s reputation for solving big problems takes a lot of hits, but hope is renewed each time a new solution comes up for discussion. Encouragingly, one of these solutions involves the skills shortage in manufacturing. It’s called the Skills Gap Strategy Act of 2013/2014—a dual, bipartisan bill introduced in the House last month (as H.R. 4541) and in the Senate last fall (as S. 1619). It’s brought to you by Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Dean Heller (R-NV), and Representatives Matt Cartwright (D) and Mike Fitzpatrick (R), both from congressional districts in eastern Pennsylvania.

The bill’s stated goal is “to direct the Secretary of Labor to develop a strategy report to address the skills gap by providing recommendations to increase on-the-job training and apprenticeship opportunities, increase employer participation in education and workforce training, and for other purposes.” (Read it all at gpo.gov; sign up for status updates at govtrack.us.) 

Granted, asking for a “strategy report” seems a timid approach for solving a problem that some say is the reason a half-million or more jobs go unfilled in the U.S. Something with more firepower (like funding) will surely be needed. But for now, the sponsors’ focus is “on solutions that utilize existing resources, programs, and personnel,” says Fitzpatrick in a report he prepared on the topic. “Closing the skills gap will require participation from individual workers, the education community and employers, but the federal government has the ability to help, and a specific plan should be in place to do just that.” Nevada’s Heller adds that the proposed legislation can help solve what he calls “such a fixable problem.” 

To the sponsors’ credit, they reached their conclusions about the need for skills-gap legislation after speaking with hundreds of manufacturing workers and business owners in their home states. Fitzpatrick, for example, visited 100 businesses in 100 days last summer. He then surveyed 1700 “manufacturing-affiliated” operations in his district to ask about their experience with the skills shortage. From nearly 200 responses, he learned that:

• 70% have difficulty finding “employees with the right skills.”
• 60% say “the lack of skilled workers makes it difficult to grow” their businesses.
• Fewer than 20% believe “local educational institutions provide the trained workers” needed.

These figures, though tiresomely familiar to readers of this magazine, may nonetheless spur action on Capitol Hill—if the bill’s sponsors and supporters can stay on point as it passes through committees. But all the group can do now is drive that support and hope the Skills Gap Strategy Act makes it to the White House for a presidential signature. You can help them by telling your representatives to back their efforts. It’s hard to imagine serious convincing would be required, but they need to hear it from you anyway. Much legislation is fighting for their limited attention. 

For this last reason, it also remains vitally important that you do as much for yourself in this regard as possible. Forward-thinking companies understand that a proactive stance—going into the community, working with local schools and colleges, creating internships and on-site training programs and the like—can be the quickest solution to a skills-gap problem. Even smaller manufacturers can nurture a budding local workforce that will be able to serve them now and in the future by letting neighbors know where they are and that good jobs are available. While help from the government, if it comes, could be a real shot in the arm, there’s much you can do to effectively address your own “fixable problem.”