Meeting the workforce demands of tomorrow requires a focused, thoughtful approach that addresses various challenges across several key policy areas.
There is no ‘silver bullet’ to solve all of Pennsylvania’s workforce challenges, but through concerted efforts in education, childcare support, housing affordability, and transportation infrastructure, the PA Chamber is working to improve Pennsylvania’s economic outlook and ensure a skilled, competitive workforce for the future.
PA’s Workforce Challenges
With a growing job-skills gap and an aging population, Pennsylvania is now facing severe workforce challenges.
For every 100 open jobs, there are only 77 qualified Pennsylvanians available to fill them. These trends, alongside demographic data forecasting population loss in rural communities, underscore the urgency of attracting (and retaining) talented workers across the Commonwealth.
Our Solutions
The PA Chamber’s multifaceted workforce development strategy focuses on:
- Advancing policies that encourage Pennsylvanians into the workforce.
- Bridging the skills gap by promoting career-oriented education.
- Supporting the childcare industry and working families through childcare affordability initiatives.
- Enhancing housing availability to attract and retain talented workers.
- Improving transportation infrastructure to facilitate access to job opportunities.
We have also been proud to support criminal justice reform initiatives that promote second chance hiring and help facilitate employment for reentrants and individuals with a criminal record. For example, the PA Chamber supports Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law, which extends automatic criminal record sealing to reformed individuals who remain crime-free for a certain period of time. This policy, which has since been expanded twice since its enactment in 2018, encourages individuals with old criminal records to pursue employment opportunities and gives employers access to a larger pool of skilled workers to fill open positions.
These efforts are crucial for ensuring that businesses have access to a skilled labor force and that residents have the resources they need to be successful.
Workforce Initiatives in the 2024-25 State Budget
The PA Chamber has taken proactive steps to address these challenges through targeted advocacy and collaboration with policymakers.
This year’s budget advances initiatives to build a skilled workforce, including:
- Increasing the Commonwealth’s investment in career and technical education (CTE) and making it easier for qualified individuals from the private sector to become CTE educators
- Incentivizing employers to reimburse employees for childcare expenses
- Creating scholarships for students who choose to enter in-demand fields and stay in the Commonwealth.
- Increasing the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund to expand the availability of workforce housing in Pennsylvania
- Increasing transportation funding to help Pennsylvanians get to work.
By addressing these challenges comprehensively, the PA Chamber is working to develop a skilled workforce that will be able to meet the needs of a dynamic economy, foster growth, and improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians.