A new survey of Wisconsin businesses paints an unflattering picture of the education system in the state. According to the Wisconsin Employer Survey, which is conducted twice a year by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), nearly three-quarters of businesses think students graduating from the public K–12 system are not prepared for the workforce. Making matters worse, 56% of respondents said they have employees who struggle with the ability to read or do math.
With young people set up for failure, according to WMC, employers are now having to step in to provide remedial education for workers on top of the technical training they already offer. Forty-one percent of businesses said they have provided employees with additional education or tutoring because their K–12 education did not prepare them with the basic skills needed for a career.
The educational failures are also impacting Wisconsin’s already challenging workforce shortage. According to the survey, nearly two-thirds of employers said they have reduced hiring requirements in an effort to get more job applicants.
The Wisconsin Employer Survey also asked about the changing needs for higher education. Four in 10 companies said they have removed the requirement for a bachelor’s degree for some jobs that had previously required it. And 81% of companies responding said that more than half of the jobs at their company require less than a four-year college degree.
