Corporation for a Skilled Workforce Revenue and Competitors

America was once a place where good jobs could be taken for granted. Communities and families could safely pin their hopes on homegrown, American industries that offered good jobs — with both high wages and benefits — to people with a high school degree. The technology revolution has left much of our workforce without the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy, while the global marketplace has brought intense new competition to companies that used to be reliable sources of American jobs. Today, far too many communities and people cannot find good jobs and firms struggle to develop talent. The acceleration of change in the global economy has also put a premium on agility. Individuals must commit to life-long learning to stay relevant in the marketplace. Companies need to retool for rapid shifts as the landscape changes. And communities have to constantly prepare for what comes next as local industries expand and contract. Leaders in government, business and education face the responsibility of navigating the new economy and developing job opportunities for those who need it. Today’s leaders shouldn’t have to face this challenge alone. We can help to challenge assumptions and raise difficult questions to actively promote innovation and transformational shifts in organizations, systems, and culture.