BillyClydePuckett - Sorry BillyClyde, but you're looking through rose colored glasses. Most of the time the employers that complain about not being able to find qualified employees are the same ones that have a reputation for being poor employers. They jumped on the "lower-wages/less-benefits Bandwagon", and are now paying the price for being cheap. See a certain Stoughton business that has branches in Evansville and Brodhead as a prime example. They're crying, but have no one to blame but themselves. They worked hard to build a business and won't give it away, but expect those who worked hard to acquire needed skills and experience to give that away. Can't have it both ways.

Add one more to the list. College education is nice but besides punctuality, ambition, care, and accountability, what I have seen over and over again is a person can be "book" smart but have no common sense. Perhaps there should be a required coarse in college to teach common sense. I once got a job because they asked me what skills I had to add to a list and I answered, "I practice common sense." Too many college educated people have no idea how to apply what they have spent so long learning from the books.

Whats the deal with the ship manufacture in Marinette WI only wanting high school graduates. Collage grads need not apply. 30-40k per year, possably 60k with OT.

"The biggest skills people lack today are punctuality, ambition, care, and accountability."

amen.

The biggest skills people lack today are puncuality, ambition, care, and accountability. No one wants to be on time, no one wants to work. With as many govt agencies that give out handout to those with out jobs...Why would people work? Unless you land the right job, you really have to work your butt off for a decent check. Most places run a lean crew and micromanage stuff now so there is a lot expected out of people.
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Also school doesnt make people smart and want to work. All it does is make people that dont have money or can barely afford it spend more money on school. Govt hands out money there as well. You still have people that dont want to work.

"Talk is cheap. Can't find skilled employees? Start by offering a fair wage for those skills and that experience. $10/hour wages only buys you $10/hour skills and no experience."

Like it or not, the value of your labor has probably not been worth less at any time in the past 150 years. An abundance of workers and automation has made many workers who think that they are worth $18-20/hour worth half of that at best. However, there does remain the opportunity for those with the right skills to make a very decent wage. Unemploment for college grads hovers at half of the general population. True skilled workeres are in demand and as the article points out many companies continue to search for them.

Simply calling yourself a highly skilled worker and thinking you are worth a certain wage because you once were paid it is no longer enough.

Talk is cheap. Can't find skilled employees? Start by offering a fair wage for those skills and that experience. $10/hour wages only buys you $10/hour skills and no experience. No one gets something for nothing.

BTC..did they add classes for CNA's and technical manufacturing degrees? Those are the areas I have heard are in need to fill area job openings.

I'm surprised you didn't mention the new online university programs that consider past experience that I keep hearing about on WCLO, or is that a different topic?

I was just having a conversation with my employer about this topic the other day. We are located near a major community college in IL & not once has that college reached out to us to discuss what skill sets we are looking for. I think there is a need to link schools with businesses and doing so would go a long way to bridging this gap.