Wisconsin study calls for more adult training.

This post comes from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online. Enhancing adult education in Wisconsin would have the one-two punch of making state employers more competitive while raising the earning power of low-income workers, according .

The report by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families cites various research and programs in other states to assert that by making postsecondary training more accessible to low-skilled workers, Wisconsin will improve its work force - and its economy.

Short-term, demand-driven, job-focused education is a way to address employer cries for more skilled workers, said Charity Eleson, executive director of the Madison-based organization, and it's also a pathway for low-income workers trying to improve their job prospects.

"We're moving toward a chasm of need here, both in terms of what employers need in order to thrive, but also what families need in order to thrive," Eleson said. "And we have an opportunity to be proactive and address those needs."

The report calls for lower barriers and stronger supports for workers trying to upgrade their skills through Wisconsin's technical colleges and two-year campuses. It calls on the Legislature to take greater oversight and leadership in how low-skilled workers gain postsecondary training. It suggests a payoff for workers who advance beyond high school or a GED. To read the rest of this article click here.