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Since the recession ended in 2009, our economy has experienced over a decade of economic expansion, and despite a low unemployment rate we know that challenges remain.  Small employers are having an increasingly hard time finding skilled and qualified workers. In fact, for over a year, more jobs have been available in the economy than people actively seeking them out.

Two factors seem to be driving this labor market shortage. The first is an existing skills gap among workers and the second is largely due to demographics and increased retirements. According to Pew Research, 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day and this will take place every day until 2030. Both emphasize the importance of transforming the education process and requirements for the future of work in our country.

Small businesses rely on employees with specialized skill sets to build and grow their businesses. But their potential for growth is hindered when they struggle to fill positions that require technical training or certifications. And this problem is not unique to one sector of the economy. From the lack of tower climbers to build out telecommunications networks in the most rural parts of our country to the void of specialized custodians to clean biomedical waste at healthcare facilities and the lack of specialized labor in the construction trades, all industries are feeling the strain of inadequate pathways to employment.

In fact, more than 80% of small business have few or no applicants available to fill open positions. Tackling this problem requires working outside of the existing workforce. In today’s labor market, skilled employees that cannot be found, must be created.

One way in which we can do this is by increasing the number and use of apprenticeship programs throughout the country. Apprenticeships provide the mutual benefit of earn-as-you-learn education for employees and the opportunity to develop otherwise ineligible applicants into valued members of their team.

These valuable programs are made available through federal programs and private industry initiatives. For instance, the Department of Labor has funded $95 million in grants for the development of registered apprenticeship programs that have resulted in nearly half a million new hires.

The ones developed by industry partners have provided resources for potential employees to connect and build skilled teams. Take for example, telecom companies that struggle with daunting costs to build infrastructure on challenging terrain, which are then compounded by a lack of skilled workers to climb towers to help connect Americans. Taking matters into their own hands, the telecom community has responded by developing a coalition with the mission of training tower climbers on the job to deploy networks and eventually upskill to build out advanced 5G networks. These new networks will not only need to be built, but also maintained and fixed in response to extreme weather, which provides an opportunity for climbers and workers to be trained and remain in their communities.

Private industry has also taken major steps to prepare the American workforce to address one of the greatest threats to small businesses--cybersecurity. Through cybersecurity certificate programs, American workers can earn valuable certifications required to fill positions in industry and the government.

These valuable programs also tap into underutilized talent encouraging women, minorities, and veterans to re-enter the workforce. Through strategic partnerships with community-based organizations, registered apprenticeship programs help diversify talent in technical industries by engaging diverse candidates.

The Federal government can also play an important role in training and re-training the workforce for the future. Programs like the Job Corps, a national vocational and employment training program overseen by the DOL, provides disadvantaged youth with the education and support they need to secure long-term employment. Job Corps takes it one step further and seeks to match small business owners with the well-trained, entry-level employees needed to fill their workforce needs. These are the types of smart policies and programs we should support.

Though registered apprenticeship programs and industry-based training has provided valuable resources, much more can be done to close the skills gap. More federal government resources should be devoted to train Americans who are not seeking four-year degrees.

Jobs that require more training than high school but less than a bachelor’s degree account for half of the job openings in the U.S. Expanding existing government programs to support Americans who are willing and able to fill these positions should be a top priority.  

We need to do this because     too many American workers and small businesses have been left behind. We should leverage the tools available to us to help our small business owners thrive. If done correctly, not only will small firms be more competitive in a global marketplace, the nation’s economy will receive a much-needed boost

I hope that today’s discussion will shed light on the many ways apprenticeship programs and specialized training can help small businesses build skilled teams. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress toward breaking down these educational barriers to entry and expanding the American workforce.