Baker tackling state's skills gap
Gov. Charlie Baker put three of his top deputies on Thursday in charge of overseeing an effort to better align the state's education and workforce training systems with the needs of employers, highlighting the skills gap as a continued impediment to economic growth.
Baker signed an executive order formally establishing a "Workforce Skills Cabinet" chaired by Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Ron Walker.
Walker will work with Education Secretary Jim Peyser and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash over the coming months to develop a plan to address the disconnect between available jobs and skilled workers by the summer, according to the governor.
"More than anything, we need to make sure we find a way to link our workforce to job opportunities that exist out there for our citizens. These are inseparable goals and critical strengths for the commonwealth to continue to be successful over time," Baker said at a press conference.
Despite efforts over the past several years by lawmakers to leverage community colleges and vocation skills to meet the labor market needs, Peyser said there have been "pockets of success," but more to do to implement the policies already in place.
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