The Buzz

“In practically every community in Alabama, chambers of commerce are on the front lines fighting to improve the quality of life for their citizens and enhance the business climate for job creators. There is no greater way we can improve both the quality of life and business climate for Alabama’s communities than by having high expectations and improving educational opportunities for our students. Through the Business Education Alliance, we look forward to enhancing the positive relationship Alabama chambers share with those in the education community.”

The business community has long been an advocate for the professional teacher and has a record of support for quality classroom initiatives for our children. It is our obligation to work with those in the education community to provide to Alabama students an opportunity to receive a first-class education. Anything less is unacceptable.

Politics of division seem to be a sport in Alabama, but our students are the ones who suffer when these tactics are used to divide those who care about improving education. Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, which is why the Business Council of Alabama has for years been advocating for such an alliance between business and education. The future is now!

To compete and lead in today’s global economy, America must be a global leader in education. The short-fall of highly skilled workers in America is a looming national crisis which requires urgent action. The answers to solving this problem are best suited to come from the local and state level which is why we applaud the Business Education Alliance for making a stand in Alabama to ensure that 21st century American jobs are filled with individuals that have 21st century skills.

Improving our public education system is not about partisan politics or any kind of hidden agenda. It is simply about providing each Alabama student what is deserved—an opportunity to get a quality education which we all know is the foundation for future success.

Coming from the Community College System, it has always been immediately evident that business must be a strong partner and ally if we are to collectively maximize the potential of our resources and maximize the impact we can have on Alabama students. We are committed to partnering with business and industry which is why I applaud this effort to unite the voice of existing industry and public education.

The Business and Education Alliance seeks to unite two groups who will determine Alabama’s economic future – the educators who will produce tomorrow’s workforce and the business leaders who will one day employ them. In Montgomery’s highly political atmosphere, it’s refreshing to see a group that is dedicated to bringing interests together, rather than driving them apart. This effort will benefit students and create opportunities for them to thrive in the future.

The growing skills gap in the manufacturing workforce threatens our nation’s competitiveness. Eighty-two percent of manufacturers report a shortage in skilled production workers, and three-quarters of manufacturers report that the skills gap has limited their ability to expand. The creation of the Business Education Alliance in Alabama couldn’t come at a more important time. It will help build a long-term relationship between two very important groups: those that prepare our future workforce and those that employ our future workforce.

It has been proven time and time again that having the business community as a partner and a leader is key to improving the quality of education for students. I am confident that the Business Education Alliance will foster new ideas and create new relationships which, at the end of the day, will benefit students in Alabama’s public school system.