Small Business Owners and Experts Offer Solutions to Small Business Hiring

Statement

Today, the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development heard from a panel of witnesses on the importance of workforce development in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and small business hiring.

"In addition to PPE, new and returning employees will need training on social distancing requirements and other coronavirus-related changes, procedures, and regulations. Both employers and employees will need clear guidance and accessible resources from their local, state, and federal governments. Here is yet another opportunity for us to work together," said Ranking Member Troy Balderson (R-OH). "Our workforce has the flexibility, agility, and creativity to meet the demands of our new normal -- now it just needs Congress to support them in this effort."

Programs Offer Skills Training, Employment Resources for Communities

"Well trained, knowledgeable employees are one of the keys to the success, stability, and growth potential for any businesses, especially a small business. In the past few years, it has been challenging for businesses to fill open positions with quality candidates. There is a shortage, particularly in our region, of qualified candidates for highly skilled positions," said Ms. Kelly Moore, Vice President, GKM Auto Parts Inc., in Zanesville, OH. "This challenge has become more pronounced post COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses, who furloughed workers in order to stay solvent during work shutdowns and slowdowns, are reporting that some workers are slow to return, primarily due to the Federal stimulus that enhanced their unemployment benefits."

"The Workforce Center offers an array of tools to support local job-seekers, including offering resources and workshops for a self-directed job search, one-on-one employment counseling, and training assistance," said Ms. Kelly Folks, Arapahoe/Douglas Workforce Director, Workforce Center, in Centennial, CO. Ms. Folks testified on behalf of Workforce Boards and Centers and the Rocky Mountain Workforce Development Association (RMWDA).

"It is not uncommon for many owners and employees to wear multiple hats and they seldom have in-house access to technical assistance, professional development, research and development, or other professional and scientific services," said Mr. Joe Schaffer, President, Laramie County Community College, in Cheyenne, WY. Mr. Schaffer testified on behalf of the American Association of Community Colleges. "Community colleges have historically stepped up, and stepped in, to help small businesses in these areas."

"…To stay abreast of shifts in high demand occupations and necessary skills, businesses should regularly refer to the federally funded labor market information and occupational projections the state workforce agencies maintain," said Ms. Demetra Smith Nightingale, Institute, Urban Institute, in Washington, DC. "Businesses, of course, know their own needs and their own sector intimately, but broader economic forces are also always at play that can inform future demand directions. For example, even before the pandemic--but now clearly accelerated by it--there was growing demand for technology and virtual skills across occupations and industries..."

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