What's Happening in Burlington, WI…

Economic reports show that Wisconsin’s economy is doing well however more people are needed in order to keep it going.

This comment was made at the 103rd annual meeting of the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce. Kurt Bauer, CEO and president of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, went on to say that jobs in many Wisconsin towns and cities such as Burlington are staying vacant for too long.

Bauer was the event’s keynote speaker. The event was held at the Stella Hotel & Ballroom where he told a large crowd that more people will be needed for the state to meet its demand for skilled workers. With an unemployment rate of only 2.8%, employers are struggling to find the right people to fill their posts. Typically, posts are advertised using methods such as word of mouth, job boards and poster printing.

To meet the demand for skilled workers, Governor Tony Evans plans to increase funding for vocational education. This would make it easier to build a pipeline for talented individuals to get the training that would allow them to fill the job positions that are vacant. Wisconsin has one of the best economic growth rates in the country, therefore, it should be easy to attract labor from other states.

Bauer believes that another solution worth exploring is making it easier for felons who have been released from prison to find jobs by reducing the stigma attached to working with ex-convicts.