High-paying jobs for workers of a given skill level are not necessarily disappearing in America – that’s the good news. But in fact where we find those jobs is changing and for whom those jobs exist is also changing…In general, fewer of those good jobs are available for workers that bring really low levels of educational skill to the labor market.” -Harry Holzer
Harry Holzer is a Professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. He has written widely on the topic of low-wage labor markets and, in particular, the problems of minority workers in urban areas.He is the co-author of the 2011 book Where are all the good jobs going? (Russell Sage Foundation) which is the focus of our interview. The book describes trends in job quality and job dynamics and explains the implications for U.S. workers.
Interview questions
Part 1
Q1: What are the main findings of the book in terms of job trends and job quality?
Q2: What are the policy implications of those findings?
Part 2
Q3: Are there particular efforts that exemplify building a productive relationship between the public and private sector in terms of responding to employers’ workforce needs?
Q4: Today elected leaders at all levels are trying to catalyze private sector job growth in their jurisdictions, but are there any strategies that you’d be wary of or recommend avoiding?
Video of Part 2
Programs or initiatives referenced in the interview
* Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership
* Center on Wisconsin Strategy
* Sectoral strategies (targeted worker training) created at the state level by Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington State, and Wisconsin
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