Now Is the Time for Boldness

BY SCOTT MALFITANO

THE DELAWARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD (DWDB) identifies solutions that expand the skills of Delaware’s workforce. The state competes with Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cecil County, Md., Washington, D.C., and New York City for talent, and success requires us to continually rethink how we do things. It is time for an honest evaluation to uncover what works and what doesn’t, followed by commitment to grow the former while unsentimentally dropping the latter. The key is boldness.

The following are key changes Delaware can make right now—think of them as a downpayment on such boldness.

Remove out-of-date hiring requirements. Governor Carney took a significant step by eliminating unnecessary degree requirements for around 350 state jobs. Our new Governor could build on this effort to foster a more inclusive and skills-focused workforce by issuing an executive order broadening this policy and using the governor’s platform to encourage businesses throughout Delaware to reevaluate their own degree requirements. A college degree confers no guarantee of competence or exclusive proof of intelligence and is often less relevant than work and life experiences.

Focus training dollars on where the jobs are. Delaware spends tens of millions of dollars each year on workforce training programs. We owe it to the taxpayers to ensure that every dollar is focused on where there is a job waiting at the end of the process. This means targeting high-growth industries and the thousands of in-demand but unfilled positions in our state. Training folks for shrinking industries and saturated job categories is an approach not befitting a truly competitive state.

Leverage successful initiatives in Delaware, particularly Delaware Pathways and the University of Delaware Co-Op program, to enhance student outcomes. Delaware Pathways provides high school students with academic and technical training alongside real work experience, helping them define their post-graduation plans—whether further education, apprenticeships, or jobs. Increased adult awareness and involvement are essential to expand this effort. The Lerner School of Business at the University of Delaware Co-Op program, launching in June, offers students course credit while gaining practical experience with local businesses, fostering connections that encourage graduates to remain in Delaware. Despite having over 24,000 students, many only know the state through the I-95 corridor. Expanding these programs can significantly benefit both students and the local economy.

Create a “hub” to facilitate success across the state. The state has a multitude of initiatives to enhance the workforce with state, federal, and private-sector funding. We often see multiple funding sources for the same programs. We need a “hub” or a centralized clearinghouse to better coordinate our financial investments, but we certainly do not need a new bureaucracy. The hub would logically fit within the Office of Management and Budget or the Department of Finance.

Enhance focus on the trades. The trades are a phenomenal opportunity. A college degree is not required and students entering a trade program can leave with no debt and high paying jobs with long trajectories for growth. Boldness requires speeding up the process. Today, Delaware’s ratio for a journeyperson to an apprentice is three-to-one. We need to break down legacy ways of thinking and flip that ratio. Our unions have a tremendous economic impact on our state and region, and we need to rethink ways to train and advance workers—many of whom will be future union members.

Move the DWDB to the Governor’s office. The Governor and heads of various state departments and agencies are members of the DWDB, and its initiatives serve almost every agency within our state. It only makes sense to do as other states have done and reposition DWDB from the Department of Labor to the governor’s office. This can streamline workforce initiatives, enhance coordination, improve efficiency, and maximize use of resources.

Coordinate talent and experience throughout the state. As the Delaware Business Roundtable’s Delaware Investment Agenda recommends, we need to “streamline communication with new and existing businesses and identify opportunities to meet workforce needs.” There is a tremendous opportunity for those engaged in economic development, educational institutions, and other key Delaware groups to highlight that we work as a unified team.

Delaware can act on these steps now, sparking a bold new era that propels our state to the forefront and makes it the model other states strive to emulate.

Scott Malfitano is chair of the Delaware Workforce Development Board.