Longview state of workforce meeting focuses on education

LONGVIEW — Education was front and center on Wednesday during the state of the workforce hosted by Longview chamber of commerce. According to our news partner KETK, East Texas business owners, high schools and economy experts attended the meeting and they focused on discussing education and the role it plays in building up local industries. One topic was especially discussed, looking for qualified people to fill critical roles.

“What we’re still hearing from businesses and industry in the East Texas community, that they don’t have the number of workers that they need nor the skill that those workers actually need to have in order to be successful.” Brenda Kays, president of Kilgore college, said.

Representatives from Kilgore college, public think tank Texas 2036 and the national skill coalition updated local businesses on the current employment landscape.

“We have a very robust labor force in Texas but there are certainly skilled positions, high paying skilled positions, that are having difficulty being filled,” John Hryhorchuk, from Texas 2036, said.

He said Texas has a high school graduation rate of 90% but only approximately 30% are pursuing some form of higher education.

“We have a very high graduation rate which is fantastic but when you translate that out to the post-secondary credentials attainment space there’s a significant drop off,” Hryhorchuk. “And leveraging our universities, community colleges and even our high schools to increase credential attainment is part of a broader statewide and national conversation.”

The panelists conversation centered around investing into education. The meeting also served as a way to gather information and bounce ideas off each other.

“It is important we hear firsthand what business, and industry needs so that we can come in and we can fill that gap between what is and what needs to be,” said Kays.