University presidents and business leaders in New Hampshire gathered Tuesday to encourage lawmakers to increase funding for public education. Education and business leaders have called for stronger partnerships with New Hampshire employers and increased funding to support students while extending a five-year tuition freeze. .The schools that are part of the New Hampshire university system have been described as a connective tissue with partner businesses in the state where everyone has to work together to help the economy grow.” We have been extremely fortunate with the entire university system, especially Plymouth State University, which is directly in our backyard,” said Ben Learned, Freudenberg-NOK Human Resources Manager. Business leaders said graduates of New Hampshire universities may have the skills employers need. “When you give them the right experiences while they’re in school, they’re more likely to work with us later when they graduate,” said Birtley Locke of BAE Systems. At Tuesday’s event, the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College and Plymouth State University met with businesses to discuss where they need to grow and push for more state funding. keep tuition low.” We want students to be able to afford to attend our universities,” said UNH President Jim Dean. “We want to help them thrive and be part of the state’s economic infrastructure.” Mike Skelton, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, said the last few years have taken a toll on the Granite State’s workforce. One of the challenges many New Hampshire businesses are facing right now is labor availability,” he said. Workforce housing, training and childcare are also issues. Skelton said demand is high and jobs are available, but the workforce is not where it needs to be. “A lot of people left the workforce and didn’t come back,” he said. “Our legal immigration system has slowed down. Students are kind of considering when they want to join the workforce.” State funding of the university system is lower than in 2011, and the new requirement is to gradually increase funding over time.
University presidents and business leaders in New Hampshire gathered Tuesday to encourage lawmakers to increase funding for public education.
Education and business leaders have called for stronger partnerships with New Hampshire employers and increased funding to help students while extending a five-year tuition freeze.
The schools, which are part of New Hampshire’s university system, have been described as the connective tissue with partner businesses in the state, where everyone must work together to help the economy grow.
“We’ve been extremely fortunate with the entire university system, especially Plymouth State University, which is right in our backyard,” said Ben Learned, Freudenberg-NOK’s human resources manager.
Business leaders said graduates of New Hampshire universities may have the skills employers need.
“Getting people out of school and giving them the right experience while they’re at school makes them more likely to work with us later when they graduate,” said BAE Systems’ Birtley Locke.
Tuesday’s event brought the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College and Plymouth State University together with businesses to discuss where they need to grow and push for more state funding to keep tuition low.
“We want students to be able to afford to attend our universities,” said UNH President Jim Dean. “We want to help them thrive and be part of the state’s economic infrastructure.”
Mike Skelton, president and CEO of the New Hampshire Business and Industry Association, said the last few years have been code for the Granite State’s workforce.
“The No. 1 challenge facing many businesses in New Hampshire right now is labor availability,” he said.
Housing, training and childcare are also problems. Skelton said demand is high and jobs are available, but the workforce is not where it needs to be.
“A lot of people left the workforce and didn’t come back,” he said. “Our legal immigration system has slowed down. Students are kind of considering when they want to join the workforce.”
State funding of the university system is lower than in 2011, and the new requirement is to gradually increase funding over time.
