Workforce Development Policy Recommendations

To preserve America’s global economic leadership, the United States needs a world-class, modern workforce development system that fosters productivity and innovation and helps workers navigate a rapidly changing economy.

America’s workforce has always been the great strength of the U.S. economy. The productivity, innovation and skill of American workers have been critical to our country’s sustained growth and leadership in the global economy.

As the United States traverses a challenging economic period — amid job openings, technological advancements, tougher competition from abroad and lingering effects from the pandemic — Business Roundtable urges Congress to reform existing programs into a modern, effective workforce development system to grow and sustain a skilled workforce.

Policymakers should consider reforms to the workforce development system that ensure that the United States remains globally competitive. They have a critical opportunity to narrow the skills and wealth gaps and respond to employers’ and workers’ evolving needs through policies that create a flexible, efficient and effective system. To do so, reforms to the system should promote bold and innovative workforce strategies and be guided by the following principles:

  • Make reskilling and upskilling programs more accessible for workers seeking greater economic mobility
  • Invest in community colleges and high-quality, non-traditional training programs
  • Modernize the system to ensure a stronger return on investment for workers, employers and taxpayers
1. Promote worker training accounts
2. Support training for occupations in high-demand fields
3. Invest in employer-based training models
4. Expand Pell Grants to cover short-term programs
5. Promote digital literacy skills
6. Expand tax incentives leading to portable skills
1. Increase capacity of community colleges to focus on workforce skills
2. Expand the use and development of recognized credentials that demonstrate competencies
3. Leverage non-traditional training providers
4. Reform the Federal Work-Study program
1. Provide flexibility to states, employers, and workers for the use of workforce development funds
2. Ensure multi-agency coordination
3. Build the workforce system around high-quality labor market data
4. Support improved accountability through expansion of pay-for-performance models

Business Roundtable CEOs urge policymakers to work together to modernize the nation’s workforce development system to better serve U.S. workers and employers, ensure our country’s sustained economic growth and deliver greater opportunity for all Americans.

The Business Roundtable workforce development policy recommendations were developed under the leadership of Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of General Motors and Business Roundtable Chair, and Scott Kirby, CEO of United and Chair of the Business Roundtable Education and Workforce Committee.

Workforce Policy Recommendations

View the full Business Roundtable public policy recommendations for workforce development

Corporate Initiatives

Through Business Roundtable Corporate Initiatives, over 150 companies are working together at scale to ensure that employees have the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing economy, expand economic opportunity to more Americans and maintain America’s competitive edge.

View all Business Roundtable Corporate Initiatives here.

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