Wisconsin’s Workforce
Agenda: Men & Women at Work
At the annual Future Wisconsin
Summit this week, I unveiled our new Workforce Agenda: Men and Women at Work, a
three-step initiative to comprehensively enhance Wisconsin’s workforce and meet
our economy’s workforce needs—now and in the future.
Step one increases education to provide a
solid talent pipeline for the highly-skilled workforce Wisconsin is known for.
On top of our already historic $11.5 billion investment in K-12 education to
drive student success, we have increased our investment in the world-class UW
System to produce more graduates in high-demand fields and supported
partnerships between Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges and businesses in
high-demand industries.
We’re also encouraging hands-on skills
training through Registered Apprenticeships and the Wisconsin Fast Forward
worker training program, which will help to close the skills gap and provide
the trained workforce businesses are seeking.
Step two removes barriers to work. We
eliminated the child care “benefits cliff” to encourage more people to work,
take more hours, and advance into higher wage jobs. And we’re improving access
to job training and placement programs to help veterans, ex-offenders, and people
with disabilities enter the workforce.
Step three attracts and retains talent to Wisconsin. We will work with the legislature to build a collaborative
statewide campaign to attract talent to live and work in our state, focusing on
Midwest millennials and young professionals, Wisconsin alumni,
and veterans and their families transitioning to civilian life.
The forward-thinking reforms in our
Workforce Agenda ensure Wisconsin’s seasoned workforce will grow even stronger,
and our state will remain a great place to live and work for generations to
come.
We are working and winning for Wisconsin.
Real Change for Real People
Earlier this week, I signed several bills
into law at the Wisconsin State Capitol. These bills include reforms that
remove barriers to work, enhance the rights of property owners, and address
homelessness.
Removing Barriers to Work. One
of our top priorities is to remove overly burdensome regulations that make it
harder for people to have a good career. That’s why I signed occupational
licensing reform into law for barbers, cosmetologists, and beauty
professionals, cutting unnecessary requirements and eliminating the state’s
barbering manager and cosmetology manager licenses. We want to make it easier
for people to pursue their dreams
Enhancing the Rights of Property
Owners. I was proud to sign AB 479 into law, which adds
greater protections for property owners by prohibiting local governments from
merging one or more lots without the property owner’s consent, creating a more
reasonable framework for conditional use permits, prohibiting unnecessary
government interference in the repair and/or maintenance of nonconforming
structures, and more.
Combatting
Homelessness.
We’re also bringing together eight agencies in a council to collaboratively
combat and relieve homelessness, and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic
Development Authority (WHEDA) will now provide case management to the
chronically homeless.
We enjoy sharing all the great news about our state with you. It is an honor to serve as your Governor and represent the people of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
 Governor Scott Walker
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