Governor Walker says Wisconsin needs to grow its workforce in order to fill the open jobs in the state. Speaking at the Grown North Regional Economic Development annual meeting at Nicolet College, Walker says the state's unemployment level is historically low and jobs are being left unfilled.
He says they've worked to improve funding for schools, have worked to get people away from government support and improve job prospects for people with disabilities. But he says the best way to attract talent and potentially more businesses is to use the model used by the Department of Tourism: bring them here and they will like it and stay. Walker used the analogy from the movie "Field of Dreams"...
"...going back to that, 'If you build it they will come'. If you want businesses to come, if you want businesses to grow, if you want businesses to prosper we've got to have a workforce. So besides the education and training of our own, besides getting more people off the sidelines and into the game. Part of it isn't just "Grow North"....but 'go north'...."
Governor Walker says another group they're looking at to get into the workforce is veterans...
"....a third target for growing our workforce is veterans, retiring military personnel and their families. People who have moved around a bunch of times in the past, right as they're coming to the end of their(military) career, are trying to decide where they are going to go. They're probably not going to move again. You can all help us with this...we're the number one state in America for veterans benefits...."(applause)....
Walker says the Northwoods has received 25 percent of all the broadband grants that state has given. He says highest-speed Internet is critical for businesses and tourism to grow.
