The Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy released a report on “Developing and Retaining a Skilled Workforce in Wisconsin,” with the top finding being that the state has a shortage of skilled workers.
“Only 35.4% of working-age adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, versus 37.3% nationally — and the gap is larger in computer and information sciences (1.2% versus 1.6%) and engineering (2.7% versus 3.3%), both central to the AI economy,” a statement said.
Wisconsin meets or exceeds national averages in high school completion, college enrollment and in-state attendance, but it retains challenges in demographics, talent attraction and high-skill retention.
And while Wisconsin retains 56.5% of its college-educated natives, its retention for STEM graduates sits at 50.8%.
Wisconsin also attracts fewer educated workers from other states than the U.S. average, with 40% of its college-educated workforce born outside Wisconsin, compared with 57% nationally.
