Building a Workforce for the Future

School’s out for the summer, recent college graduates are job hunting, and the Texas economy is thriving. Yet, despite a robust workforce, employers are sounding the alarm about hiring difficulties, in part because job seekers don’t have the necessary skills to fill all the openings.

This month’s Fiscal Notes, An Economic Argument for Affordable Higher Education, examines the widening gap between the skills sought by employers and the skills readily available in the hiring pool. Institutions of higher education, namely community and technical colleges, are at the forefront of statewide efforts to shrink the skills gap.

The state workforce also includes Texans employed by state government agencies, which over the past few years have been struggling with their own hiring challenges.

In this issue, we dive into the key findings from A Report on the Texas State Employee Workforce, most notably how private job sector growth is outpacing that of state government. Discover highlights from the state workforce report and what’s needed to stay competitive in the job market.

Find these important topics in this month’s issue of Fiscal Notes.

About Poll Results and Puppies

Our recent Fiscal Notes email message shared this puppy-packed video explaining the monthly job reports along with a quick poll about workforce trends in the news.

We asked: “Which trend has the greatest impact?” Among pay transparency, career cushioning, labor hoarding and quiet quitting, 42 percent chose quiet quitting, when an employee does the minimum required, but puts in no extra work or effort. 

Keep an eye out: More quick polls to come!