Opportunities Shortages in the Workforce are Discussed by Governors and Business Leaders

U.S. CAPITAL – During the National Governors Association’s Winter Meeting, Governors and Fortune 500 executives held a panel discussion to discuss ways to address labour shortages (NGA).

On Saturday, NGA Chair Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Montana Governor Greg Gianforte moderated a conversation featuring Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar, and AECOM Global Transportation Chief Executive Jennifer Aument. Broadband infrastructure, digital skills education, and apprenticeship programmes were among the solutions proposed to fill labour market gaps and equip workers for the future.

Our ability to create new opportunities for our workforce is crucial to the long-term success of our economy, said Governor Murphy. “Governors are committed to collaborating with businesses and educators to create programmes that better equip citizens to fill open positions in expanding industries.” The American Dream must be reconstructed to be more inclusive and widespread than ever before if the United States is to remain competitive in a global economy.

Governor Gianforte remarked, “Opportunities for good-paying jobs are growing, but we face a nationwide workforce shortage.” Greater opportunities for the people we serve, equipped workers with in-demand skills, and a solution to the nation’s workforce shortage can be achieved through collaboration with the private sector, programme improvement and reform, and investment in workforce development, including trades education and apprenticeships.

Thursday through Saturday, governors met with federal officials and business, academic, and philanthropic leaders to discuss ways to address the most pressing issues facing their respective states and territories.

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According to Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President Brad Smith: “We need skilled workers for economies to flourish. Digital technology is transforming industries and entire sectors. The government, the private sector, and nonprofits all need to collaborate to help more people join and thrive in the digital economy by providing them with the access, training, and devices they need.

“Cognizant is committed to doing its part to build a strong and vibrant U.S. workforce,” said Ravi Kumar, Cognizant’s Chief Executive Officer. That’s why we funded the National Governors Association’s Workforce Innovation Network to assist states in establishing broader digital access, and why we’re investing $150 million in programmes that promote education and the development of STEM skills. We are grateful to NGA for providing us with a forum to discuss and share creative approaches to public-private partnerships. Since the United States is a key market for Cognizant, the company has pledged “millions of dollars” to “continuous training, hiring from schools around the country, and upskilling across a range of digital skills.”

“We have a responsibility to ignite the ingenuity of the future workforce by upskilling and offering opportunities for advancement to all,” said Jennifer Aument, CEO of AECOM Global Transportation. Such initiatives “include STEM advocacy and mentee/protege programmes that provide the digital know-how that will deliver the future of infrastructure and a low-carbon world.”

The National Governors Association (NGA) is a non-partisan organisation that represents the governors of the United States and its territories.