Jul 25, 2019
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock released a guide for his fellow governors on how to help prepare their workforce for the jobs of the future.
Concluding his yearlong tenure as chair of the National Governors Association, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock released a guide for his fellow governors on how to help prepare their workforce for the jobs of the future. Gov. Bullock’s initiative as NGA chair, Good Jobs for All Americans, explored how state leaders can help Americans of all backgrounds adapt to a fast-changing workforce.
“It has been an incredible honor to serve as chair over the past year and engage in discussions on how we, as governors, can prepare our workers and businesses for the changing world of work and support the promise of a vibrant economy and future opportunity,” said Gov. Bullock. “The conversation around good jobs for all Americans has just begun and I look forward to states turning ideas into result-oriented actions that will have a long-term impact.”
Gov. Bullock is concluding his term as chair of the association representing all 55 U.S. governors during NGA’s Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Gov. Bullock summarized his initiative during the meeting and shared a Governor’s Guide detailing lessons and strategies gleaned from the initiative.
“I was pleased to work alongside my friend and colleague, Gov. Bullock, on this vital initiative to help governors ensure that their constituents have the tools to succeed in the decades to come,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, the current NGA vice chair who will is scheduled to take the gavel as chair on Friday, July 26. “As I introduce my own Chair’s Initiative, I’ll be drawing on the lessons of Good Jobs for All Americans to help build a sustainable economic future for people in every state.”
This culminating report concluded that states and institutions must continually identify and develop in-demand skills to ensure that the workers of today and tomorrow can thrive in fields of their choosing. It also concluded that partnerships among business, education and workforce are vital to meet future workforce needs, both statewide and regionally. Gov. Bullock’s initiative also determined that economic development and workforce strategies must focus on spreading opportunity to the communities that need it the most, particularly in rural areas.
“In the Governor’s Guide, we outline the role for governors in identifying what skills workers need to succeed and how to develop multiple pathways workers can take to gain those skills. We show governors how to expand access to continuous learning opportunities and promote seamless job transitions. And we look at ways governors can work with rural communities to leverage their unique strengths and provide employers with a source of underutilized talent,” continued Gov. Bullock.
The guide includes examples of state policy innovations and partnerships. Among dozens of examples, the guide cited Arizona’s first-of-its kind occupational reciprocity policy that makes it easier for low-income workers to find jobs in other states, and the Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) program in Pennsylvania that supports the development of entrepreneurship in the state’s 10 economic development regions.
Gov. Bullock’s yearlong initiative included regional workshops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Des Moines, Iowa. Governor Bullock also hosted a Solutions Summit in Whitefish, Montana, in which governors’ staffs joined leaders and experts from business, academic, and nonprofit sector to brainstorm and share strategies.