Issue Position: A Skilled Workforce

Issue Position

North Dakota's economy is changing, and, now more than ever, a skilled workforce is vital to the success of any company -- big or small. In industries like energy, agriculture, healthcare, UAS (unmanned aerial systems), biotech, cybersecurity, software, manufacturing and engineering, we're seeing the emergence of new solutions built on innovative ideas. The changing economy presents us with tremendous opportunity in the form of new jobs, higher wages, and a diversified and value-added economy. In order to seize this opportunity, we must support entrepreneurs and innovators, and educate, prepare, and recruit individuals ready to tackle these challenges. A 21st century economy requires a 21st century workforce.

The people of North Dakota have the talent, potential, and drive to meet the needs of a new economy, head on. We know this because we lived it. At Great Plains/Microsoft, we built a world class company with thousands of people hailing from more than 220 North Dakota towns and cities.

With today's technology, where just a single smartphone has the computing power that used to take up an entire room, the platform is emerging to change every job and every industry. We need to harness this technology and prepare every citizen for success in the high paying jobs of today and tomorrow.

Our first challenge is to ensure that we're providing a 21st century education to our citizens from Pre-K to the moment they earn their college diploma and beyond. With an increased emphasis on STEAM -- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math -- we will provide each student with an educational foundation for lifelong learning. By utilizing innovative new approaches, we will provide students from both large and small communities more learning opportunities that challenge them, align with their interests, and allow them to earn college credit while still in high school.

And by adapting project-based learning, we will increase student engagement and teach students the skills needed to succeed in the world where asking the right questions is often as important as knowing the memorized answers. Through public-private partnerships, we will connect students with career opportunities, align academic programs to the needs of a changing economy, and bridge the gap between the classroom and the workforce.

And given the rate of change, lifetime learning, and workforce training and enhancement is more important than ever. We need to build and match learning pathways for adults that translate into increased economic outcomes and expanded income potential.

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