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As business leaders representing every sector of the economy, Business Roundtable members know that the American economy thrives when U.S. workers have the levels of education and training needed to succeed in the jobs of today and tomorrow. Our country needs a world-class, skilled workforce to lead in global innovation, ensure future economic growth and drive job creation.

Unfortunately, the U.S. skills gap is real and growing. According to a Business Roundtable member survey, 94 percent of CEOs report that skills gaps are problematic for their companies. This talent gap affects all skill levels – from entry level to the highly technical.

More must be done now to strengthen the education and training pipeline serving youth and working adults so that individuals have the skills needed to be prepared to work and build sustainable career paths.

Coalition Letter in Support of Perkins CTE Act

We, the undersigned businesses and organizations, write to urge the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to take swift, bipartisan action on reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. An update to this legislation is crucial to helping our nation’s students acquire the skills needed to be successful in today’s workplace.

Business Roundtable Letter Sets Priorities for Higher Education Act Renewal

On behalf of Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies, I am writing to express our views on the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act, which the Education and the Workforce Committee recently passed to reauthorize and reform the Higher Education Act (HEA).

National Organizations Outline Principles for HEA Reauthorization: Renewing the Promise of the Higher Education Act

These principles reflect the input of 12 national organizations from across the business and workforce development communities, including: The Aspen Institute’s Skills for America’s Future; Business Roundtable; CAEL; Center for Law and Social Policy; Committee for Economic Development; HR Policy Association; Jobs for the Future; National Association of System Heads; National Governors Association; National Skills Coalition; New America Foundation; and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce:

Business Roundtable Outlines Principles for HEA Reauthorization

The Higher Education Act (HEA) is the primary source of federal funding to support students pursuing a postsecondary education. It was first enacted in 1965, and was most recently reauthorized in 2008, under the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). Its authorization expired in 2014. HEA currently provides roughly $140 billion in financial assistance to 15 million students annually. It also provides approximately $2.3 billion for multiple institutional aid programs each year.

BRT Letter on 2018 National Defense Authorization Act

The undersigned organizations urge the conference committee to reject section 830 of the Senate-passed version of H.R. 2810, the “National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018,” that would effectively reinstate a version of the recently overturned regulations that implemented President Obama’s “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” (FPSW) Executive Order.

Business Roundtable Welcomes Administration’s Focus on STEM Education, Computer Science

Business Roundtable welcomed President Trump’s memorandum directing the Department of Education to make computer science and the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields priorities for funding through its federal grant programs.

Letter on Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees

On behalf of Business Roundtable, I appreciate the opportunity to reply to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Request for Information (RFI) related to “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees.”

Business Leaders Urge Senate to Pass Career and Technical Ed Bill

CEOs Applaud House Passage, Call on Senate to Pass Perkins Reauthorization

Washington – America’s business leaders today praised bipartisan House passage of a bill to modernize and reauthorize career and technical education (CTE) programs and called on the Senate to quickly approve the legislation. The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353), an update of the Perkins Act, passed the House today by voice vote.

Letter Supporting Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act

H.R. 2842, the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, is a thoughtful approach for encouraging companies to hire recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Business Roundtable Amicus Brief on Enforceability of Arbitration Clauses

Business Roundtable filed an amicus brief on June 16, 2017, in the U.S. Supreme Court, supporting EY in a case on the enforceability of arbitration clauses in employer-employee disputes.

At issue is whether an agreement that requires an employer and an employee to resolve employment-related disputes through individual arbitration – in the process, waiving class-action litigation – is enforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). BRT contends that the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) prohibits such waivers, but federal appellate courts have split on the issue with serious complications for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions.

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Committee Priorities

Improve U.S. K-12 Education

A persistent complaint by employers is that many high school and college graduates – as well as some adult workers – lack foundational skills needed in the 21st century workplace. These include, for example, analyzing complex texts, adapting to new technologies and problem solving.

Rigorous academic standards in K-12 English language arts and mathematics are critical to ensuring all students graduate from high school ready for college and the workforce. Business Roundtable supports the full adoption and implementation of high-quality education standards and aligned assessments to raise the performance of U.S. students. Business Roundtable also supports policies and programs that ensure all students read on grade level by the end of third grade.

Align Individual Skills with Employer Needs

Businesses increasingly have difficulty finding employees with the knowledge and training required to meet their workforce needs. This includes both technical skills – such as aptitude in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) – and applied skills – such as leadership, problem-solving and communications abilities. This misalignment of skills exacerbates unemployment and stifles economic growth.

Business Roundtable believes a multifaceted solution, involving public and private players, is needed to address this skills mismatch problem. As a start, employers must send a clear, direct “demand signal” of the foundational attributes employees must demonstrate to succeed in the workplace; industry needs to sort out the large and chaotic world of industry credentials; state workforce boards and educational and training centers must understand job needs in each region and focus on helping students acquire the skills needed to fill those jobs; and human resources practices must improve across industry to identify competencies gained through valid credential programs and relevant experience.

Key Federal Legislation

Business Roundtable will continue to advocate for federal legislation that authorizes programs and policies that improve educational outcomes and help close the skills gap, including reauthorization of America COMPETES, the Carl D. Perkins Act and the Higher Education Act.

Committee's Recent Activities

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