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Market Failure: Our Childcare System is Broken

Julia Barfield, MPH, MSW
Early Childhood Education
Economic Growth
Education
K-12 Education
Women
September 24, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
ECE is a Broken System
© 2019 Getty Images
In this country, the early childhood education system is in market failure. In recent years we have seen the greatest federal funding increases for early childhood education in history, and yet those significant investments just barely make a dent to tackle the need. In 2018, NASEM studied “how to fund early care and education for children…that is accessible, affordable to families, and of high quality, including a well-qualified and adequately supported workforce.” The report concluded that a financial windfall of around $54 billion would be required. 

Report Shows Economic Impact of a Lack of Affordable Childcare in Washington State

Jason Hagey, vice president of communications, AWB
Early Childhood Education
Education
K-12 Education
September 19, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Mounting Costs of Childcare in Washington State
© Association of Washington Business (AWB)
The lack of access to affordable, high-quality childcare isn’t just a problem for families. A new report found that it’s costing Washington businesses more than $2 billion per year in employee turnover or missed work, and the total cost to the state economy tops more than $6.5 billion per year.

The Win-Win Solution for Early Education Infrastructure Challenges

Julia Barfield, MPH, MSW
Early Childhood Education
Economic Growth
Education
Innovation
K-12 Education
September 5, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Twitter Chat: Is Early Ed an Infrastructure Conversation?
On Tuesday, August 27, the Chamber Foundation partnered with Linda Smith of the BPC to host a Twitter chat discussing infrastructure challenges for early childhood education facilities. In a span of 45 minutes, the participants of this chat were able to provide more than one million Twitter accounts with data, research, and case studies arguing for early childhood education to gain a seat at the table where infrastructure conversations are happening. 

Looking at Aptitudes Over Interests to Drive Career Pathways

Amy Lancaster-King, Director of Workforce Development, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Education
K-12 Education
Postsecondary Education
August 29, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Aptitudes Over Interests
© 2019 Getty Images
Atlanta’s economy is growing rapidly. In 2018, employers created 58,400 new jobs, and the workforce increased by 2.8 percent. Demand for new employees also jumped, with more than half a million job openings in the metro area – nearly 10 percent more than 2017. But despite this tremendous opportunity, like other growing areas, the Atlanta region is competing for talent at home and abroad to ensure economic prosperity and competitiveness in the years ahead. 

8 Principles to Build a Strong Foundation for STEM Pathways

Shawn Hardina, Owner and Chief Change Fanatic, Innovation Tech, LLC
Education
K-12 Education
STEM
July 24, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
STEM Pathways
© VEX Robotics Competition, Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation
Successful career pathways are created through deep and meaningful coalitions of organizations. These coalitions bring education, community members, and business leaders together with a shared dedication to meeting society's biggest challenges in a responsible, sustainable, and profitable way. They blur the lines between formal education, community service, workforce development, and economic development. 

How Qualcomm is Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

Sara Napolitano
Education
Innovation
K-12 Education
STEM
July 1, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Qualcomm 2019
© Qualcomm

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were approximately 8.6 million STEM jobs in May 2015, with the highest jobs in software development, user support, and systems analysts. Despite the high number of jobs, the lack of skilled workers in the labor force allow these positions to go unfilled. To make matters worse, the existing STEM workforce lacks diversity among women and minorities, not representing the emerging workforce of women and underrepresented groups. 

The New Normal: The Fourth Industrial Revolution’s Demand for Perpetual Learning

Tae Yoo
Economic Growth
Education
K-12 Education
Postsecondary Education
Talent Pipeline Management
Workforce Training
May 22, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
The New Normal
© Cisco
The world is changing. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is here, and it is having an impact on everything, including the future of work. A significant evolution of the labour market is forecast over the next 10 years, and we do not fully know all the jobs of the future. Given the hyper transformation of technology, business models, and work, it is important to understand and anticipate what this means for youth, society, businesses, and government, so that everyone has an opportunity to participate in the digital economy.

At the Top of Their Game: Messi, Gates, Wooten share talent, opportunity, and environment to thrive

Scott Heimlich, Vice President, Amgen Foundation
Education
K-12 Education
Postsecondary Education
May 9, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Dr. Wendy Wooten engages her students in the labs of the Amgen Biotech Experience at Reseda High Charter School in Los Angeles
© Amgen. Photo by Evelyn Perez.
Given we all do play a role in shaping the culture of our organizations, teams and communities with every minute and every interaction – whether we intend to or not – how should we go about creating a culture that doesn’t just lead to innovative leaders, but that leads to growth and meaning and ownership in our young people in particular?

Joining Forces to Mobilize Business on Early Childhood Education

Julia Barfield, MPH, MSW
Early Childhood Education
Education
K-12 Education
Women
April 25, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Early Childhood Education as a Workforce Issue, TwitterChat Recap
On Wednesday, April 17, the U.S. Chamber Foundation co-hosted a Twitter chat with Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) to engage a broad audience in a conversation about early childhood education as a critical workforce issue. The goal of the chat was to engage individuals, advocates, and employers across the country in a focused discussion where we could all collectively share the data, stories, and research behind this two-generation challenge. We were thrilled with the turnout.

Closing the Opportunity Divide in Boston

Haley Ast
Economic Growth
Education
K-12 Education
Youth Employment
February 28, 2019
Center for Education and Workforce
Achieving Tomorrow in Boston
© 2019 Getty Images

To close the opportunity divide, cities like Boston are looking to strategic partnerships between employers and workforce and talent development programs to connect underserved youth with the work-based learning experiences that exist in their own community and help equip them with the skills and real-world experience they need to succeed in them. 

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