BOSTON, MA - August 19, 2011 -- On Sunday, Fred Dedrick, Executive Director of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS), will participate in a panel discussion at the Southern Governors Association annual meeting in Asheville, NC. Governors from the 16 states and two territories that comprise the American South will be discussing their struggles with sustainable economic recovery and job creation with Dedrick and other experts.
At the conference, Dedrick will be discussing with the Governors about the effectiveness of workforce partnerships to address the skills gap and getting people back to work. Below is an excerpt from his remarks to the Governors and other event attendees:
"A common refrain heard in discussions regarding the nation's job shortage is that there are millions of job openings, but employers cannot find workers with the right skills to fill them. We need to focus on getting people people back to work with the skills employers need. And this requires a deeper understanding of the needs of and issues facing employers.
Solving the skills gap is not easy and it needs a concentrated effort by all stakeholders. Investment in workforce partnerships by both the public and private sectors will get us one step closer. We know that workforce partnerships are effective. Using employer defined skills development with "on the job" training creates more opportunities and better skilled workers. But we must break through the stale rhetoric on "job training" and engage all stakeholders in workforce development in this innovative solution to create results."