Campaign for a Working Connecticut.
The Campaign for a Working Connecticut is a coalition that promotes the state’s economic competitiveness through the development of sustainable, effective workforce solutions to increase workers’ skills and advance families to self-sufficiency. In collaboration with local partners, National Skills Coaltion helped form the Campaign for a Working Connecticut and provides ongoing technical assistance.
Click here to contact the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund, the convening organization for CWCT.
Key Partners
Major Efforts
With National Skills Coalition, released Connecticut's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs in October 2009, which generated widespread media attention. As part of National Skills Coalition’s Skills2Compete fly-in, representatives from CWCT met with members of Connecticut's Congressional Delegation in Washington, DC, to discuss report findings in November 2009.
Campaign for a Working Connecticut co-sponsored a press conference in 2009 on proposed cuts to job training and helped to get Workforce Investment Act funding approved in the absence of a state budget.
In 2008, the Campaign submitted a letter to the legislature’s Appropriations Committee signed by 60 Connecticut employers asking for investments in incumbent worker training, and supported bills in the Commerce and Labor and Public Employees Committees calling for investments in incumbent worker training and career services.
Publications and Resources
Reports:
Connecticut's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs
National Skills Coalition and Campaign for a Working Connecticut
October 2009
Audio Clips:
Listen to audio clips from a press conference about the release of Connecticut's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs report.
- Introduction and Report Overview | Jessie Hogg Leslie, National Skills Coaliton
- Campaign Lead | Alice Pritchard, Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund
- Employer Perspective | Judi Spreda, Peter Paul Electronics
- Community College Perspective | Dr. Martha McLeod, President of Asnuntuck Community College
- Public Workforce System Perspective | John Beauregard, Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board
Policy Agenda:
The Campaign agenda is based on the belief that five workforce strategies need to be supported to maximize the federal investments in the workforce development and education systems: basic education, incumbent worker training, career services, educational assistance and occupational training. Given the economic crisis facing the state, no new resources are expected in the 2010-2011 state budget, however, the Campaign will work to ensure that no further cuts are made to workforce development and education programs. The Campaign will develop recommendations for the federal reauthorization of key pieces of legislation such as the Workforce Investment Act and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Family program.
Media List
Study: 'Middle skill' workers in short supply | The Day, 10.09.2009
Danbury College Fair opens doors for adults as well as students | The News Times, 10.08.2009
Middle-skill job growth seen in state | The Day, 10.08.2009
State gap in 'middle-skill' workers to grow, study says | Republican American, 10.08.2009
State's labor market calls for ‘middle-skill' workers, but they're in short supply | The Commercial Record, 10.08.2009
