In the States.

National Skills Coalition, under the leadership of its Regional Field Directors, works with allies in the states to build multi-stakeholder alliances that can mobilize statewide support for skills agendas, and advance specific policy reforms with state governments and legislatures.

This section features the work of some of those state coalitions and campaigns. It also provides background on model state policies developed or replicated by these state advocates.

Here are just a few examples of some of the great work that is going on around the country to advance skills agendas.

Indiana–Skills2Compete helped successfully advance Senate Resolution 85 in April 2011 calling on Indiana's State Workforce Investment Board, Division of Adult Education, and Office of Career and Technical Education to assess industry-recognized standards for middle-skill industry clusters to ensure that education and training programs meet these standards. With several co-sponsors, the Resolution was unanimously passed by the Senate Education and Career Development Committee and passage by the full Senate is expected in the coming weeks. Learn more.

Skills2Compete-Massachusetts, led by SkillWorks and the Workforce Solutions Group, filed groundbreaking legislation in January 2011. The Middle Skills Solutions Act seeks to increase credential attainment and wages for Massachusetts workers. The bill would build upon existing resources to develop a more robust system to prepare adult, non-traditional students with the skills and credentials needed for employment in Massachusetts' high-growth industry sectors. Learn more.

Skills2Compete Massachusetts hosted a Gubernatorial Forum in September 2010 on Investing in Jobs and Opportunity. All four candidates were on hand to share their perspective and ideas for shaping Massachusetts’ economy through workforce development and job creation policy. The event was moderated by Peter Howe of New England Cable News and featured a journalist panel. View photos, watch media coverage, and listen to the candidates themselves. 

Skills2Compete Maryland - On June 30, 2010, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown announced the launch of a new website for the Skills2Compete Maryland initiative. The site serves as a one-stop portal providing information and resources on middle-skill jobs, training programs, financial resources and fastest growing occupations that require some training beyond high school, but not a four-year degree. The site also features a video message from Governor Martin O’Malley encouraging all Marylanders to obtain at least two years of education or training beyond high school.

New Mexico's Lt. Governor's office held a Workforce and Education Strategy Academy in May 2010 on preparing more New Mexico workers for middle-skill jobs. Lt. Governor Diane Denish, with a number of cabinet secretaries, discussed middle-skill jobs, citing New Mexico’s Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs report and a possible goal of increasing the number of New Mexicans with a two-year degree, credential or equivalent education by 20 percent by 2020.