Message from Dr. John Anderson, Chairman of the Board, 2011-2012
This letter appears in the January 2012 NewsWave:

According to the Job Center of Wisconsin, there are more than 30,000 jobs going unfilled in the state.  This fact doesn’t seem plausible when, at the same time, our state is experiencing unemployment just under 8 percent.

The conclusion I would draw is that these jobs are going unfilled because potential candidates do not have the needed skill sets that employers seek.  Even students who advance their education are not always prepared for the jobs of today.  In short, we are failing to ensure that our available workforce has the skills and training needed to launch a successful and productive career.

Through its business/education programs, the Oshkosh Chamber is working to reverse this trend.  We are the liaison between business and education by engaging students, parents and the schools to make them aware of educational and job opportunities available in our area and listening to employers to gauge what is lacking in the current workforce.  Our programs help make the pieces fit for the jobs that are needed.

The Chamber’s work centers around the Desired Student Outcome, developed by its Partners in Education (PIE) Council: “Graduating students will have an in depth understanding of their career and life path options, together with the knowledge of what they should and should not do to pursue these paths and lead a successful and productive life.”

The PIE Council is the only entity in Oshkosh that brings together business leaders, school administration, school board representatives and teachers who all work together to advance and develop programs to build better skilled employees.

Of course, the foundation of this building process is knowledge about businesses and their employment needs.  To help students and teachers gain this knowledge, PIE’s latest venture is to market the WISCareers online program, which is used by adults at Workforce Development and by students attending all levels of education, from elementary to post-secondary.  WISCareers, developed at the UW Madison Center on Education and Work, houses information of more than 100,000 companies throughout the state and the occupations available within those businesses.  Use of a tool such as this alerts students to the types of jobs that may be offered and how to prepare for those jobs.

The Fox Valley is a great place to start a career, and Oshkosh itself has many opportunities for career growth at companies like Bemis and Oshkosh Corporation.  Impromed, which offers well-paying software development jobs, recently began expanding its facility and plans to hire up to 50 more employees.  It’s imperative that we get information such as this in the hands of our educators and students through programs like WISCareers and others.

Forging partnerships between schools and businesses is a win-win for employers and the future workforce.  You, as members, can help us by helping to populate the WISCareers site with your valuable information.  I also encourage you to share any workforce concerns you may have with Cecil Streeter, who is the liaison between the public and private sectors, so that the Chamber can serve our businesses and our community to the best of its ability.  Communication between you as employers and the educational system is crucial in helping to improve our unemployment issues.