In this report, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) calls on education and workforce systems in the U.S. to work together to keep pace with the changing needs of the economy and urges employers to think of themselves as the “end-customers” of education and workforce partnerships. The report articulates a vision for a demand-driven system to manage the talent pipeline and prepare the future workforce for high-skill jobs. In the report, USCCF identifies key actions that stakeholders — including employers, education and workforce preparation providers, students and policymakers — can take to close the skills gap and create shared value. Shortly after this report was published, the USCCF convened business leaders and other stakeholder from around the country to develop plans for engaging the talent supply chain and preparing the workforce of the future.
Building on the vision articulated in the report, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) released an implementation guide, available here, that expands on the work from the white paper and demonstrates opportunities for employers to manage the talent pipeline. The guide is divided into six strategies — from organizing employer collaboratives to aligning incentives — that employers at all levels of practice can use to engage education and workforce partners. The guide can be used by individual employers, though many strategies are designed to be carried out by a consortium of employers.
