National Journal LIVE Workforce of the Future Conference
Moderator: Jason Dick, Editor, National Journal's Congress Daily
First Question for the Panel: What is theprimary obstacle to addressing joblessness?
Is it a structural problem, where the demands of employers are not being met by the workforce?
Or are the private and public sectors not providing adequate demand for a workforce that is ready to step in?
Panelists:
Amy Wilkins, Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications, The Education Trust
Lawrence Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute
Dixie Sommers, Assistant Commissioner for Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Reflecting the scale of the problem and complexity of the solution, National Journal hosted an
expanded half-day conference featuring a series of keynote addresses, interactive forums, and
breakout sessions that explored how we can best educate and train the nation to compete and
thrive in the international marketplace.
Workforce of the Future congregated a roster of experts from a range of different sectors for a
substantive conversation to discuss the current state of affairs and posit constructive strategies for
improvement across the entire labor spectrum, including white, blue, and "green" collar workers.
