WBA Debate Topic: Worker Shortage

Wisconsin already has a teacher shortage and a new report shows that by 2030, the state will see a decline of 130,000 workers with young people in Wisconsin leaving and not be replaced by people moving here. What is your prescription for attracting and retaining young adults to our workforce?

• A 2019 analysis by the Wisconsin Policy Forum explains that Wisconsin has had one of the largest gaps among states between the educational attainment of those who move away and those who stay in or move to the state.
• The U.S. Joint Economic Committee has released Wisconsin’s latest unemployment data.
• Wisconsin Policy Forum finds that the expanded number of retirees not being replaced by the number of working-age individuals may signal a challenge for the state’s workforce.
• The number of individuals graduating with a degree in education is dwindling, according to Pew Research Center.
• In a national survey, Washington Post found that more than half of public school principles surveyed reported a staff shortage.
• Wisconsin Public Radio’s report details Wisconsin’s workforce and projected outside migration.