Washington D.C. — Today Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. corporations, announced the launch of The Springboard Project – an independent commission that will develop innovative approaches to help American workers acquire the new skills and the education needed to thrive in the 21st century’s evolving labor market. The commission, which will bring together a diverse group of education and business leaders, labor experts, union chiefs, academics, foundation heads and government representatives, is holding its first meeting today in Washington, D.C.
“Given the transformations in the current economy and the long-term impact they will have, this is the moment for business and government to join forces with labor and the online community to make sure that our workforce has the training and resources to meet the demands of an ever-changing marketplace,” said William D. Green, chairman & CEO of Accenture and chairman of The Springboard Project. “I am looking forward to working with such an esteemed and talented set of experts to tackle the unique challenges the American worker faces today and will continue to face even after the recession passes.”
Today’s meeting will officially kick off The Springboard Project’s nine-month mandate to develop innovative and feasible recommendations to the Obama administration, Congress, the private sector, labor and individuals.
“American business leaders are optimistic about the future of our economy and the long-term prospects of American workers,” said Harold McGraw III, Chairman of Business Roundtable and Chairman, President and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies. “America’s talented workforce and strong history of innovation have helped us overcome economic hardship before, and we have assembled some of the nation’s best minds to help identify practical and productive ways to ensure today’s workers are equipped to help us succeed again.”
The Springboard Project will:
- assess current government services for those looking for work, education and training
- examine model programs
- commission research
- identify how to harness technology and other resources to help students and workers better adapt to labor market changes so they can secure and maintain employment throughout their working lives
The Springboard Project will issue its recommendations at the end of 2009.
More information about The Springboard Project can be found here.
The Springboard Project members include:
Chair: Bill Green, Chairman & CEO, Accenture
Morton Bahr, President Emeritus, Communication Workers of America
Charlene Barshefsky, Senior International Partner, WilmerHale
Gordon Berlin, President, MDRC
Gregory Brown, President & Co‐CEO, Motorola Inc.
Peter Cappelli, Professor of Management, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School
Louis Chênevert, President & CEO, United Technologies Corporation
Gary Forsee, President, University of Missouri
Sara Horowitz, Founder, Freelancers Union
Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and CEO, Act‐1 Group
Gerry Hudson, International Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union
Wes Jurey, President & CEO, Arlington, Texas Chamber of Commerce
Robert Litan, Vice President, Research and Policy, Kauffman Foundation; Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Steven Loranger, Chairman, President & CEO, ITT Corporation
Gail Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College
Janet Murguía, President & CEO, National Council of La Raza
Dinesh Paliwal, Chairman & CEO, Harman International Industries, Inc.
Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation
Peter Smith, Vice President, Kaplan Higher Education