Two out of 3 Wisconsin students can’t read at grade level, and the state’s business community is saying those deficiencies are translating to the workforce. WMC’s Executive Vice President of Government Relations Scott Manley joined Vicki McKenna to discuss how Wisconsin’s education system is failing employers. Manley said that some employers are having to modify their safety and training manuals to include more pictures, as a majority of them are saying they have employees that struggle to read or do basic math.
“Businesses are increasingly having to teach on the job how to do fractional math,” Manley said.
In addition to the state providing more funding for choice and charter schools, businesses and parents can help better set up students for career success through supporting apprenticeship programs and other involvement.
“The more we can get kids to be involved in work-based learning opportunities and apprenticeships, the better off they’re going to be, and the better off we’re going to be because our construction and our building trades and our manufacturing sectors desperately need students to go into those careers,” said Manley.
