Small businesses face ‘critical shortage’ of skilled workers: SBA’s Linda McMahon
With more Americans eager to join the workforce, small businesses are looking for skilled workers.
Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon notes that President Trump has created around 3.7 million jobs since taking office.
“When I’m out visiting with small businesses, the number one issue that they’re talking to me about now is a skilled workforce,” McMahon told FOX Business’ Trish Regan on “The Intelligence Report” on Thursday.
President Trump signed an executive order on job training Thursday afternoon at the White House following his “Pledge to America’s Workers” event.
According to McMahon, Trump is hoping to help businesses employ more skilled workers by appointing members of the cabinet, including Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, to an advisory board.
She described the advisory board as being comprised of business leaders “who will be providing input to raise awareness that we need to do about this critical shortage of skilled workforce.”
McMahon said that the group will be working with two- and four-year institutions as well as vocational schools to work on “how they can restructure the paradigm of education to fit the needs of businesses.”
The SBA administrator defined a skilled labor force as “a workforce that is going to fit the needs of the industry today.”
She encouraged businesses, both small and large, to go to vocational schools to help students learn about the skills they might need for that company, and this could give them a push into a career at that company.