In January, Gov. Walker unveiled the first phase of his “Wisconsin Working” plan. During a year-long focus on job creation and economic growth, the Administration’s Special Cabinet on Economic and Workforce Investment listened to job creators, job seekers and government officials. The Cabinet then recommended an initial phase of policy changes and agency collaboration to ensure job seekers connect with current job needs, while building the skills necessary for family-supporting jobs.
Improve Workforce Training
Employers need skilled workers. At the same time, workers need access to affordable and timely career and training programs. To address these needs, the Governor is creating the College and Workforce Readiness Council. The Council will be comprised of representatives from small business, the workforce, the State School Superintendent, Cabinet Secretaries and top officials from public and private universities and technical colleges. The Council will work to improve student readiness for college and careers through a variety of measures, including designing shorter and less costly degree programs aimed at filling high-need positions. In addition, the Council will look at ways to expand dual enrollment and dual credit opportunities for high school students, allowing them to earn college and workforce training credits while in high school.
Governor Walker also announced his support of the Wisconsin Wins legislation proposed by Representative Mark Honadel. As currently conceived, the program will allow Wisconsinites receiving unemployment to take part-time training jobs with employers potentially leading to full-time employment and allowing current job seekers to receive training and demonstrate their skills for potential employers.
Additionally, the Governor is directing the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to support Assembly Bill 429 and Assembly Bill 438 authored by Representative Evan Wynn. The legislation will remove many employment hurdles for veterans, such as removing the initial license fee for certain veterans and allowing military training to fulfill requirements for specific state licenses.
Gov. Walker is directing the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to work together to align unemployment insurance claimants with businesses currently expanding in Wisconsin.
Matching Job Seekers with Jobs
During listening sessions with job creators throughout the state, the Governor repeatedly heard job creators speak of current job openings for which they could not find workers. To help address this, DWD will double the number of job fairs they hold. The Department will also hire an additional fourteen staff to assist in reemployment services.
Last year, the DWD held approximately fifty job fairs. This year, they will hold at least 100 jobs fairs throughout the state. DWD will add fourteen staffers to help serve another 350-400 unemployment insurance (UI) claimants each week in their job searches. The additional staff will hold training sessions, perform skills tests and certifications for work readiness, perform employer matching, career assistance, align the unemployed to job fairs, and provide follow up services among other duties aimed at matching the unemployed to jobs.
In addition to the increased efforts by DWD, the WDVA will also be expanding its efforts to help veterans find jobs. The veteran’s unemployment rate in Wisconsin is estimated at between 13 and 15 percent.
The Department will hold fourteen job fairs this year in conjunction with DWD. Governor Walker directed WDVA to proactively reach out to unemployed veterans in order to align them with job placement assistance. About 3,000 veterans will be contacted immediately. WDVA will also partner with the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to organize an employer educational seminar to inform employers of the benefits of hiring veterans.
The Governor is also directing WDVA to partner with Milicruit to create a Wisconsin specific platform to hold online job fairs for veterans. WDVA, DWD, and DMA recently partnered with Milicruit and other Midwest states to hold a regional online job fair. The results of that job fair are not final, but to date the survey data available shows there were 2,773 visitors, 34 employers participating, 6,655 online chats, and 2,549 email exchanges between employers and veterans.
“Wisconsin Working” is just the latest of the Administration’s ambitious efforts to stimulate the economy and provide good-paying jobs for Wisconsin families.
In November, Gov. Walker hosted the first-ever Small Business Summit at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. At the Summit, local leaders and small business owners met face to face with Gov. Walker and other state leaders to talk about the best ways to clear the way for economic recovery.
Small business owners voiced concerns about a variety of topics from a lack of skilled workers to over-regulation to difficulty accessing capital.
Job creation initiatives implemented in 2011 under the Walker Administration include:
• Creation of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, which develops and implements economic programs aimed at helping businesses with support and access to financial assistance. The authority works to encourage start-up businesses and helps existing businesses expand.
• New legislation allows local governments to create TIF districts aimed at evening the playing field along borders.
• New legislation makes it easier for businesses to borrow money by increasing the amount WHEDA will guarantee from $200,000 to $500,000.
• New legislation increases limits and guarantees on agricultural loans.
• Streamlined regulations remove unnecessary barriers to economic recovery.
• New incentives for companies to expand broadband and wireless service.
• Implemented changes at the Department of Revenue to be more taxpayer friendly.
• Encouragement for film production companies to choose Wisconsin by making it easier to apply for tax credits.
• Returned control of the budget process on the local level to municipalities and school districts.
• Reformed state government to eliminate the deficit, limit spending and keep property taxes down.
• A tax credit for businesses that create jobs.
• Two-year tax exemption for businesses that relocate to Wisconsin.
• Lower transportation costs for consumers, farmers, and manufacturers.
• New legislation offers protection from frivolous lawsuits.
Job creators in Wisconsin are voicing optimism about the new and improved business climate.
On the one-year anniversary of Gov. Walker’s inauguration, the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce released results of a survey which found 94% percent of company executives believe Wisconsin is “on the right track”. That compares to only 10% who felt that way in June of 2010.
In the same survey, 86% rated Wisconsin’s business climate as “very” or “somewhat” pro-business in November of 2011 compared to 9% in June of 2010.
In the three years prior to Governor Walker taking office, Wisconsin lost 150,000 jobs. During his first year in office, Wisconsin had a net gain of thousands of jobs.