HR0050 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0050 LRB096 04772 NHT 14836 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois has a reputation as an economic powerhouse, demonstrated by globally recognized businesses producing cutting edge technologies and high-value services, a gross state product of more than $600 billion in 2007, and the fifth largest state economy in the nation; and

WHEREAS, Jobs that require more than a high school education but less than a 4-year degree ("middle-skill jobs") currently make up the largest segment of jobs in this State's economy and will continue to do so for years to come; and

WHEREAS, More than half of Illinois jobs in 2006 were middle-skill jobs, representing more than 3 million workers; and

WHEREAS, The portion of jobs that are middle-skill jobs in this State is greater than the portion in the nation as a whole; and

WHEREAS, The demand for middle-skill workers in Illinois is expected to increase between 2004 and 2014, to about one million middle-skill job openings; and

WHEREAS, Middle-skill jobs will be the majority of jobs needed to build this State's and the nation's green economy; and

WHEREAS, Middle-skill workers include those that work in occupations critical to our communities' safety and infrastructure, including police officers, fire fighters, nurses, therapists and other medical technicians, air traffic controllers, electricians, and mechanics; and

WHEREAS, Middle-skill jobs are local, hands-on jobs and are unlikely to be outsourced to other countries; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, 51% of all jobs are classified as middle-skill, but only 43% of Illinois workers likely have the education and training required to fill these positions; and

WHEREAS, The National Commission on Adult Literacy's most recent report revealed that more than 350,000 Illinoisans between the ages of 18 and 64 lacked a high school credential; and

WHEREAS, These trends will worsen in Illinois over the next 15 years as the proportion of low-skill workers in this State's workforce is likely to increase at the same time that the percentage of middle-skill workers is projected to decline; and

WHEREAS, At the same time there is a decline in educational attainment in the workforce, there has been a steady and steep decline in federal funding for workforce education and training programs, including funding that supports adults to get associate degrees, vocational certificates, and apprenticeships and that are offered in both community-based training organizations and community colleges; and

WHEREAS, Two-thirds of the people who will be in this State's workforce in the year 2020 were already working adults in 2005, which means that most of the workforce of 2020 will be people already beyond grade K through 12 education; and

WHEREAS, We need to prepare adults currently in the workforce, who could benefit significantly from new investments in education and training, to be part of the solution to the middle-skill gap facing our State today and in the years ahead; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that this State must guarantee up to 2 years of post-secondary education or training for all Illinoisans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this educational goal must be the core of our State's economic development, workforce development, and post-secondary education strategies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That if our economic development, workforce development, and post-secondary education policies are built from this shared goal to individuals, families and communities across our State will experience greater prosperity.