Press Release: Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Highlighting Efforts to Bolster State’s Healthcare Workforce through New Task Force

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 02/15/2024 11:41 AM CST
Office of Governor Tony Evers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 15, 2024
Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov 
 
Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Highlighting Efforts to Bolster State’s Healthcare Workforce through New Task Force
 
Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered the Democratic Radio Address on his administration’s efforts to address Wisconsin’s healthcare industry challenges through the creation of the Governor’s Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce, as announced in his 2024 State of the State Address. 

The task force, also part of the governor declaring 2024 the Year of the Worker, will be charged with studying the workforce challenges facing the state’s healthcare system. Among the issues examined by the task force include recruiting and retaining healthcare workers, identifying ways to improve patient care and alleviate the burdens on the healthcare workforce, exploring educational and training pathways to grow a sustainable healthcare workforce, and creating an action plan with solutions related to workforce development, industry innovation, education, and training.

Hello, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here.

We’ve seen record-low unemployment and record-high workforce participation in Wisconsin this past year.

It’s time to retire the well-worn political talking point that Wisconsinites aren’t working or working hard. Wisconsinites work hard, and they are working.

 
But we know that there are still high-need areas in our workforce we need to bolster and support—our dedicated healthcare workforce being one of them.   

According to the Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin faces a potential deficit of 20,000 nurses by 2040.

And between 2020 and 2030, Wisconsin’s healthcare industry will see nearly 32,000 annual openings across occupations.

Folks, these numbers paint a concerning picture for the future in one of our most relied-upon industries.

That’s why we created our new Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce, led by Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, focusing on finding long-term solutions to our state’s healthcare industry challenges.

This task force will help us find ways to not only bring more qualified, talented workers to our state but to keep them here, too.

This task force will then make recommendations for me to consider as I prepare my next biennial budget.

My administration is committed to pursuing every pathway and seeking out every avenue to address our workforce challenges, just as we have for five years.

Because making sure our workforce is prepared to meet the needs of a 21st-century economy is a top priority for me, and it has to be a top priority for our state. 

 

Thank you. 
 
An online version of this release is available here.
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