Workforce Readiness Initiative

The Alarm Bells Are Ringing

"Young US business recruits lack 'basic skills' in English," Financial Times (10/2/06)
"Critical skills gap threatens U.S. Competitiveness," Management Issues (10/3/06)

According to the recent study Are They Really Ready to Work? employers report a low level of workforce readiness among new entrants. These recent high school and college graduates are sorely lacking in both basic (math and science) and applied (work ethic, team building, leadership, critical thinking) skills. The four organizations behind this report, The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, Partnership for 21st Century, and the Society for Human Resource Management are concerned by this readiness gap and recognize the need to galvanize business support around this significant issue. For the business community to help effectively advance solutions to address the skills gap and the related workforce readiness issue, we will have to challenge conventional thinking about what, where, when and how young people learn.

Stakeholders Strategy Meeting

Workforce Readiness Initiative
This report is a summary of the key issues and action points that emerged from the Workforce Readiness Initiative Stakeholders Strategy Meeting held June 26—27, 2007 in Washington, D.C. The meeting brought together representatives of Fortune 100 companies, public school teachers, community education/service organizations and local and federal government officials to develop strategy and tactics on what business leaders can do to improve workforce readiness through education.

Conference Materials
Breakouts Day 1
Breakouts Day 2
Opening Research Presentation
Dinner Speaker Presentation

See our Additional Resources page.

For More Information

For information regarding the Workforce Readiness Initiative please contact:
Mary Wright Benner (+1 617 630 1087 or mary.benner@conference-board.org)
Or
Clayton Shedd (+1 212 339 0253 or clayton.shedd@conference-board.org)