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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.

Engineering internships for the next generation

The White House highlighted the contributions of Business Roundtable and other business associations Wednesday when announcing companies' pledges to double engineering internships in 2012.

Business Roundtable Companies Pledge to Hire Thousands of Additional Engineering Interns

Making a commitment to educating a new generation of engineers, 31 member CEOs of Business Roundtable (BRT) have pledged to hire more than 6,000 additional engineering interns next year.

Tapping a new generation of engineers

Paul Otellini, President and CEO of Intel, co-hosts a forum on science and engineering education at Portland State University this morning, joined by Energy Secretary Chu at the meeting of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

U.S. companies stepping up for America's veterans

CEOs and BRT members have stepped up their corporate support for U.S. veterans returning home.

Business Roundtable Supports Waivers for States under No Child Left Behind

With Congress having failed to renew the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Obama Administration is making a reasonable and educationally sound decision to issue waivers from the law to qualifying states.

State Farm CEO Ed Rust on Business Investment in Education

State Farm CEO Ed Rust spoke with Neil Cavuto on Monday, July 18 to discuss his recent meeting with President Obama and private sector investment in U.S. education.


View the clip in its entirety on Your World with Neil Cavuto.

Over 40 National Organizations Call for Expanding School Time

Among the organizations endorsing the TIME Act and signing letters of support are both of the national teachers’ unions – the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers – and the leading organization representing school management – the Association of School Administrators. Additionally, The Business Roundtable, NewSchools Venture Fund, Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Association of State Boards of Education, and Stand for Children all actively voiced their support for expanding learning time for children in high-poverty communities.

BRT Letter on Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act

We look forward to working with you to update the accountability provisions and other parts of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that affect all public schools, including charters.

Business Roundtable Statement on Immigration Reform

Business Roundtable is encouraged by President Obama’s focus on immigration reform. We agree it is time for Americans to engage in a constructive conversation on what has been a divisive issue. We also support the President’s call for taking steps to solve immediate problems while working on comprehensive solutions.

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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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