Workforce Development

Background

Oregon’s business community relies on an effective statewide workforce and education system (pre-K through postsecondary) both to train current and future workers and to create a community ecosystem that attracts and retains workers. Programs and public investments must have accountability metrics, and the state must make assessments relative to those outcomes.

Educational outcomes must include consistent, clear and challenging standards that demonstrably increase student achievement and reduce opportunity gaps. Workforce outcomes must focus on creating opportunities for students while meeting the needs of Oregon’s economy today and in the future. Oregon cannot let bureaucracy stifle innovation and necessary systemic adjustments to create a more focused effort around workforce development, which begins in our K-12 system.

OBI’s 2026 workforce policy principles:

Accountability and Transparency: OBI supports increased accountability and transparency mechanisms to track spending accurately across the education system. Every dollar should be accounted for and tied to measurable improved outcomes for Oregon’s students. This is particularly true for funds raised by the corporate activity t ax and distributed through the Student Success Act. These are additive to general fund allocations, must be completely transparent and must be part of any conversation about accountability.

Child care: OBI supports easing the path of certification for providers and exploring best practices from other states that create sustainable, scalable options for access to care and incentives for cost-sharing and public-private partnerships. The Legislature should examine ways to reduce regulations and barriers that hinder expanding child care options in Oregon.

Continuation of CTE/STEM Investments: OBI supports the continuation of career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) policies that include but are not limited to weighted funding, continued funding for revitalization grants, teacher licensure pathways, regional hubs and course equivalency standards.

Expand Public School Options: OBI supports expanding K-12 public school educational options in Oregon to allow families to choose the option that will produce the best outcome for their student(s).

Prioritize Education Funding Stability: Stabilizing the entire education continuum must be a priority in every budget cycle. The state’s budget writers should focus on maintaining critical programs and not launch new programs that take away resources from proven successful ones. We must also encourage legislators to evaluate existing programs to determine their effectiveness on improving student outcomes when making budget decisions. Cost savings and good governance goals can be achieved through rigorous evaluation of underperforming programs.

Protect Post-Secondary Success for all Oregonians: Oregon employers depend on our state’s public education system to produce an educated and prepared workforce. The state should maintain thoughtful investments in our higher education institutions and need-based aid programs. The state must prioritize increasing funding to post-secondary institutions with current resources before giving dollars to new projects. OBI supports the development of postsecondary options that provide credentialing or training for Oregonians to be prepared for the workforce, including removal of barriers to transferring credits earned in high school, especially through a career and technical education (CTE) programs of study to four-year colleges and universities.

Student Success Act (SSA): Support legislation that ensures appropriate oversight of SSA expenditures and holds the Department of Education and school districts accountable to stated goals and outcomes. OBI believes any amendments to the accountability measures (testing, etc.) should accurately track student and teacher progress to keep programs on schedule and increase graduation rates. When possible, encourage districts to use funds for increased access to STEM and CTE programs, as well as financial literacy education. SSA funds should be available to all public school students. OBI supports ensuring the accountability measures for districts outlined in the SSA are adhered to.

Workforce Development Partnerships: Businesses around the state in all sectors are facing a workforce shortage. OBI supports incentivizing public-private partnerships to develop workforce and job readiness training that meets the needs of the current and future economy.

Workforce Development Structures/Systems: Oregon has a highly disparate approach to state workforce development policy, with multiple agencies and offices responsible for siloed pieces of this puzzle. OBI supports a review of the state’s current workforce development structure and, ultimately, a redesign that increases focus and puts outcomes first.