Alert: Employers Lacking Qualified Job Candidates

Education Committee to vote soon on SB 24

Myths & Facts about Education Reform (pdf) | Myths & Facts Part 2 (pdf)

Why We Need Real Education Reform (pdf)

The legislature's Education Committee is expected to vote on Governor Malloy's education reform proposals on Friday, March 23.

Connecticut businesses are having a tough time finding qualified job applicants. Statistics show that our state's public schools are failing to provide young people with the skills they need to succeed in today's workforce.

And the problem is getting worse every year.

That’s a problem for everyone involved—from the young people graduating without the tools they need to be successful to the employers trying to stay competitive in the global economy.

CBIA supports the Governor's education reforms in SB 24, which will be voted soon on by the Education Committee.

Download Fact sheet: The reforms will stop and reverse our dangerous long-term trend by:

• Rescuing at-risk students
• Fixing broken schools
• Supporting teachers and school leaders
• Offering more school choices
• Promoting accountability in how education dollars are spend

The education reforms in SB 24 are comprehensive, practical ways to turn the tide back to when Connecticut was head and shoulders above other states for academic achievement.

What’s more, the reforms are bold but not new. They’ve been adopted by some of our closest competitor states—such as Massachusetts and New York– helping them become national leaders in improving student performance. 

We need a skilled workforce to compete in a global economy, and we literally can’t afford the consequences of what will happen if our businesses can’t find the right talent here, but see it elsewhere.

The reality is, businesses are always planning ahead—five, 10 and even 15 years ahead—and they look very closely at what any area has to offer them, especially the quality and availability of the workforce.

“Access to qualified talent” was named by more U.S. manufacturers who are considering moving their operations, when recently asked to identify the most important factor in their decision.

Governor Malloy’s education reforms (SB 24) are extremely important. They will help raise overall student performance and in doing so will help ensure Connecticut has the knowledgeable workforce it needs to thrive in the future.