|
Job Training for Workers:
Helping New Mexico's Families and Businesses Succeed
|
|
New Mexico has invested record amounts
of money in economic development in recent years, but if the
state is to succeed in its goal of creating a high-wage economy,
we must have a workforce trained to fill those jobs. Improving
a worker's skills so they can move into higher paying jobs helps
the worker and their family while assuring that the business
has the workforce it needs to succeed.
Most of New Mexico's job-training dollars go
to companies that relocate to New Mexico from elsewhere or simply
open a new facility here. Often, they bring the key members
of their workforce with them. Attracting new business is a good
way to grow our economy, but Voices believes we should be investing
more dollars in training the people already living and working
here.
One proposal for funding additional worker training
calls for placing a surtax on the Unemployment Insurance (UI)
rates paid by businesses. UI tax rates could be lowered by an
equal amount so the amount of tax paid would remain the same,
but the surtax would go into a separate fund to pay for worker
training. This solution is worth pursuing as it helps both workers
and businesses without increasing taxes and without competing
for state general fund monies.
New Mexico has a network of community colleges
throughout the state that play a vital role in workforce training.
Additional dollars for Adult Basic Education classes should
also be a priority for economic development.
Without a trained workforce, our attempts to
create a high-wage economy will fail. Helping families become
self-sufficient by teaching them marketable skills and attracting
high paying jobs benefits all of us. It's an investment in the
future we can't afford to overlook.
