“We have more jobs than people to fill them,” Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R) told us at a New England Council virtual event this morning. It’s not an uncommon refrain among public and private sector leaders these days.
The three-term governor and, by the way, champion stock-car racer, spoke of efforts to address worker-supply issues. These include incentive programs designed to attract young workers and their families from other states as well as investments being made in housing, broadband, childcare, and other infrastructure elements that are essential to attract and retain workers.
The Governor did not mention investments in education in this context, particularly higher education. He was asked about it, however, and described the Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program. The Program led by the University of Vermont enables citizens to take free courses and workshops and utilize career resources to acquire new skills. After all, the Program reports that 43 percent of Vermonters are unemployed, underemployed, or looking to change careers.
The Governor has done a superb job leading through the pandemic. “Vermont is the safest place in the country to live, work, play, and visit,” he said. Vermont has earned the highest vaccination rates in the U.S., for example, with 67 percent of its citizens fully vaccinated and 75 percent with at least one dose.
Scott seems to provide an example of an intelligent, balanced politician who is pragmatic and focused on real outcomes. How refreshing.
VT Governor Phil Scott.