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Campaign for a Working Connecticut

Campaign Purpose
The Campaign for a Working Connecticut (CWCT) is a coalition with an aligned vision for Connecticut: To promote the state's economic competitiveness through the development of sustainable, effective workforce solutions to increase workers' skills and advance families to self-sufficiency.

The Campaign's vision for Connecticut's workforce system spans traditional divides across agencies and funding streams to include a broad range of services to assist individuals to develop the skills they need to succeed personally and professionally. Services include case management; literacy, basic skills and English language instruction; occupational training; employment preparation and development; transition to post secondary education; and work-based learning. Building largely on the federally funded system, the Campaign seeks state resources to expand services, add flexibility, target gaps in current services, promote coordination and collaboration, improve accountability and address local needs for workforce development. View PDF of Testimonials.

Connecticut's Workforce
Connecticut's economic success ultimately will depend on its ability to consistently produce a highly skilled workforce with the prerequisite basic and technical skills needed for the 21st century economy. With an ever-increasing number of jobs in this state requiring a college degree, the barriers to employment and advancement up the career ladder are substantial for those with limited skills. Without these skills, many individuals will be stuck in low-wage work in the dual economy. As much as 40% of tomorrow's available workforce lives in the state's major cities, and many are living and learning in poverty.

Many of Connecticut's residents are not prepared for the workforce or prepared to move beyond entry level employment.

• 29 percent of Connecticut residents lack a postsecondary education.
• 40 percent of Connecticut adults lack adequate literacy skills to function effectively in the workplace.
• 37 percent of adults in the Jobs First Employment Services (JFES) program lack a high school diploma.
• Students enrolled in the state's Adult Basic Education system represent only 7.6% of the adults in the state without a high school diploma.
• 32 percent of employers report that poor reading and writing skills are among the most serious skill deficiencies of current hourly production employees.
• CBIA's 2006 Survey of CT Businesses reported that 40% of employers (up from 13% the year before) cited a lack of qualified workers as the reason for having current job openings for which they were not hiring permanent, full time employees.
• Nearly half of Connecticut occupations do not provide an income sufficient to afford a most two bedroom apartment.
• An individual needs to earn $19.30 an hour (or hold 2.5 full time minimum wage jobs) to afford a two bedroom apartment in Connecticut.
• In 2005, 16.4% of CT workers earned a wage that is less than $9.60 an hour (the federal poverty level for a family of four for a full time year round worker).

Under these conditions, the needs and skills of Connecticut's businesses and workers are mismatched. Investments in key workforce education and development strategies can strengthen the state's economic health by supporting workers, employers, families and communities. The strategies outlined and the investments called for in these areas will help turn the curve and foster a stronger match between workers skills and employers needs.

For more information about the Campaign, contact Alice Pritchard at the CT Women's Education and Legal Fund 860-247-6090 or apritchard@cwealf.org. For a PDF of Testimonials, click here. If your agency would like to join the campaign, download our agency endorsement form.

Campaign Supporters

• 1199 Training & Upgrading Fund
• AFSCME
• Betty Gallo & Co.
• Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition
• Capitol Region Education Council (CREC)
• Capital Workforce Partners
• Career Resources, Inc.
• Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT
• Charter Oak State College
• CT Association for Human Services
• CT Association for Adult and Continuing Education
• CT Puerto Rican Forum
• CT Workforce Development Council
• CT Urban Libraries Council
• CT Women's Education and Legal Fund
• Eastern CT Workforce Investment Board
• Family Services Woodfield
• Greater Hartford Legal Aid
• Greater Hartford Literacy Council
• Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce
• Legal Assistance Resource Center of CT
• Literacy Volunteers of SE Fairfield County
• Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
• Middlesex Chamber of Commerce
• National Assoc. of Social Workers-CT Chapter
• New Opportunities, Inc.
• Northwestern Regional Workforce Investment Board
• Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
• Regional Growth Partnership-New Haven
• TEAM, Inc.
• The Workplace, Inc.
• Thames Valley Council for Community Action
• Workforce Alliance
  
  

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