Tim Sullivan knows first-hand what it’s like to have trouble finding skilled workers.
Sullivan had to move some production from Wisconsin to Texas in 2009, when he was chief executive officer of then South Milwaukee-based mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International Inc., because he could not find enough qualified welders locally.
Now as Gov. Scott Walker’s special consultant for business and workforce development, Sullivan has compiled a report that aims to find solutions to the “skills gap” that has been plaguing Wisconsin manufacturers for several years. While unemployment remains stubbornly high, manufacturing jobs remain open because workers don’t have the right skills.
Sullivan released the 126-page report, “The Road Ahead: Restoring Wisconsin’s Workforce Development,” in August.
In it, he makes 15 recommendations to the governor and three areas for future consideration. The recommendations are:
- Realign our economic development organizations to the extent practicable.
- Request a joint annual report from (the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation) and (the University of Wisconsin System) on the efforts and progress of turning research funding into startups.
- Immediately implement a real-time Labor Market Informational System.
- Devote state funding for job training that the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will fund competitively to the nine economic development regions
- Coordinate workforce training programs at DWD.
- Overhaul Wisconsin’s Unemployment Insurance System.
- Adopt the “Results First” model of evidence-based budgeting.
- The UW System should adopt a four-year guarantee for students.
- (Wisconsin Technical College System) should reduce state subsidies for students that already have four-year degrees.
- Establish academic and career plans for all students with the help of the Council on College and Workforce Readiness.
- Establish “stackable credentials” for two year programs and competency testing for degree achievement.
- Establish core credits that will be transferred between all postsecondary education institutions.
- Expand funding options for more than half-time two-year degree and certificate students.
- Incorporate performance based funding at all levels of education.
- The Council on College and Workforce Readiness and the Council for Workforce Investment should file an annual joint report regarding progress and updates to this report.
Sullivan’s future recommendations include setting aside workforce training funds by keeping 0.2 percent of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, changing the tax system to retain migrating and recruited workers and creating a committee to increase international immigration.
With the report in hand, Sullivan has been working to build consensus around the recommendations in the state Council for Workforce Investment and the Council for Workforce and College Readiness. Then, he will present them to the state legislature.
“It’s every company for themselves to try to do what they can to solve the issue, but the issue is systemic and the state needs to step up and put a broad program in place,” Sullivan said. “We’re not getting the results from the educational system to meet the job demands in the state of Wisconsin.”
