Ellen Duffield: Pa. can ensure a healthy economy by investing in worker education

The health care sector has experienced extraordinary stressors over the past few years, including staffing shortages. Research indicates these shortages will worsen in 2024 and beyond. One 2021 study projects more than 6 million lower-wage health care professionals in the United States will permanently leave their positions by 2026, while fewer than 2 million will replace them, creating a national shortage of more than 4 million health care workers.

Nursing has experienced similar abrasion. This shortage is particularly severe in Pennsylvania. The same study ranked the commonwealth’s shortage of nurses as the worst in the nation. Factors include increased demand due to an aging population, retirements and burnout.

Staffing shortages can disrupt the quality and delivery of care. Expanding the pool of qualified candidates for local health care positions helps offset workforce gaps. Adult literacy programs can lay the foundation by helping adults obtain their high school equivalency diploma and improve their English language skills, enabling them to transition into high-demand jobs. This win-win scenario allows adults to earn a family-sustaining wage while addressing employer staff shortages.

In Pennsylvania, nearly 20% of adults lack the fundamental skills needed for active participation in the workforce. Meaningful yet reasonable investment in adult education and workforce development is needed. Support for the $15.5 million increase in the Department of Education’s Adult and Family Literacy line item in the commonwealth’s fiscal year 24 budget, as well as the creation of the $15 million Adult Education and Workforce Development Recovery Fund for short-term flexible dollars, is critical to address the urgent need for skilled workers.

The Adult and Family Literacy line item was cut in half in 2008. Investment remained at this level until a modest increase in the current year’s budget. Meanwhile, costs have climbed along with compliance requirements.

The Adult Education and Workforce Development Recovery Fund (House Bill 25/Senate Bill 462) would enable adult and family literacy providers to apply for one-time grants to expand capacity with new and innovative programming to help employers find skilled workers and help more Pennsylvanians get back to work or improve wages. Specifically, the fund would support partnerships with job training programs and employers, digital skills training, career services, and post-secondary costs — issues identified by employers, job seekers, and adult education providers across the commonwealth.

When the commonwealth invests in adult and family literacy education, it invests in helping health care employers find qualified candidates who can succeed in vital workforce positions. Adult basic education is critical to our education and workforce system and warrants additional investment to help solve the commonwealth’s workforce shortage.

Ellen Duffield is president and CEO of Highmark Wholecare and a board member at Literacy Pittsburgh.