Issue Position: Invest in Workforce Readiness

Issue Position

A thriving economy is contingent upon a strong workforce. Poor leadership in the Governor's Office has done little to implement effective, forward-thinking strategies to both grow and improve New Hampshire's workforce. With creative incentive programs and new partnerships with stakeholders, investment in workforce readiness will serve as a key piece to a broad-based approach to economic growth in a Sununu administration.

Keep NH Graduates In NH: New Hampshire's college students are graduating with unprecedented debt and in need of high paying jobs. Chris Sununu's plan will incentivize students to stay in New Hampshire and grow our economy from the inside out.

Student Loan Assistance Program: Students who graduate from New Hampshire colleges and enter the New Hampshire workforce in high-demand jobs such as nurses, recovery clinicians or teachers will be eligible for student debt reduction through newly prioritized higher education funds.

Promotion and Growth of Community Colleges: Community colleges are the bedrock of new-age higher education. Across the nation, community colleges are providing students an affordable alternative to four-year institutions, readily providing graduates with the skills needed to be successful in a competitive economy.

Keep Community Colleges Competitive: As governor, Chris Sununu will foster partnerships between community colleges and New Hampshire businesses to help develop a curriculum that meets the needs of today's employers, create work-study programs that provide students with valuable experience, and give employers direct access to the workers of tomorrow.

Incentivize Technical Schools: For years, career and technical institutions in New Hampshire have provided high schools students with advanced vocational skills they can apply to jobs as soon as they graduate. Access to these schools, though, remain limited for students in smaller school districts across the state. We must ensure that students graduating from our high schools have workforce ready skills on day one.

Invest in Growth of Career Technical Schools: Working with the Department of Education, as well as private stakeholders, A Sununu administration will invest in the growth of technical schools offered throughout the state and the expansion of programs each school offers.
Career Training in Substance Abuse Recovery Programs: Addressing the ongoing drug crisis in New Hampshire requires a holistic approach to recovery. Men and women seeking treatment for substance abuse too often struggle to reintegrate into the workforce.

Grants for Recovery Center Job Training: As governor, Chris Sununu will work to provide state grants for New Hampshire recovery centers that offer career training and workforce readiness programs.
Business Tax Credits for Job Training Investment: Businesses that invest in job training programs at recovery centers will be eligible for newly available tax credits.

Workplace Prevention Programs: Businesses must be given the tools and training to understand what resources are available to their employees when faced with substance abuse challenges. By giving employers proper training tools we can enhance the support system for individuals and begin to address this crisis in a more comprehensive approach. A Governor Sununu will dedicate available funds to implementing educational programs for business managers.

At Waterville Valley, Chris Sununu has worked with his team to create resources for employees who are facing substance abuse issues, implementing an open-door policy with supervisors and promoting peer-to-peer recovery support systems.

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