PBLN came out strong in support of the Massachusetts landmark energy legislation called the Green Communities Act in the face of significant criticism by some of the state’s most influential business organizations. We also deepened our engagement on the critical issue of workforce development through education and the crisis in of public nutrition policy and health which as we know well, drives enormous questions about our economy and our society.
Energy and the Environment
In November, PBLN was invited to testify at the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Green Communities Oversight Hearing. PBLN’s panel was comprised of Roger Freeman, of Solventerra LLC, Glynn Lloyd of City Fresh Foods and Andy Tarsy. The Green Communities Act has been in effect since 2008 and includes a wide range of policies and initiatives that aim to lessen the Commonwealth’s dependence on fossil fuel and encourage the development of alternative and renewable energy sources. The Green Communities Act is widely viewed as nationally leading energy efficiency legislation and sets some of the strictest standards for greenhouse gas emissions. The hearing was a great opportunity for PBLN to endorse continued and full implementation of the Green Communities Act and highlight the Act’s critical role creating a competitive clean energy industry in the Commonwealth. PBLN’s testimony is available here.
How Can We Prepare the Workforce of the Future?
In October, PBLN was joined by Kim Dukes-River, Founder & Principal of Diversity Staffing Pros, LLC in testifying on the Middle Skills Solutions Act (a fact sheet on the legislation is available here) before the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. Middle skill jobs, classified as jobs requiring more than a high school diploma, but less than a four year degree, represent 45% of the current jobs in Massachusetts and a significant portion of the future jobs. It is estimated that 40% of all job openings between now and 2016 will be middle skill jobs. The Middle Skills Solutions Act would build upon existing resources and help facilitate greater communication between employers and educational institutions to help narrow the current skills gap. PBLN strongly supports measures that seek to better align the training our workforce receives with the skills needed to fill the growing middle skills job opportunities. Appropriate training of our workforce is critical to the growth of the Commonwealth’s economy. Read PBLN’s testimony here.
As PBLN builds our agenda for aligning the skills of our workforce with the skills needed by employers, we are working with business leaders, policymakers, and nonprofits on this critical issue. In the last few weeks, The Boston Foundation and the Boston Healthcare Careers Consortium released reports about the vital role that community colleges play in preparing our future workforce. Take a look at the following reports and let us know what you think by posting a response here on our blog.
- ” The Case for Community Colleges: Aligning Higher Education and Workforce Needs in Massachusetts,” The Boston Foundation, November 2011.
- ” Critical Collaboration: Improving Education and Training Pathways to Careers in Health Care,” Boston Healthcare Careers Consortium, November 2011.
A Step Back for School Lunches: Pizza and French Fries are here to stay
On November 18th, President Obama signed an omnibus spending bill approved by Congress that included a provision blocking the Department of Agriculture from implementing new school lunch standards that would have required more fruits and vegetables to be served in schools. The changes would have limited servings of white potatoes and starchy vegetables to one cup per week and would have prevented tomato paste from being considered a vegetable. PBLN Charter Member Glynn Lloyd, CEO of City Fresh Foods responded to the changes on WBUR and through a letter to the editor in the Globe. City Fresh Foods, which serves nutritious meals to 3,500 students per day in the Greater Boston area, is well acquainted with the challenges of delivering healthy meals on a tight budget. Yet, City Fresh Foods already limits white potatoes to no more than once per week and their whole-wheat pizza is served with two additional servings of vegetables. In his letter to the editor, Glynn points out that any savings we see now for serving less nutritious food will only result in more health care costs in the future.
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