MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers Thursday delivered the Democratic Radio Address highlighting his nearly $60 million investment into 12 regional projects aimed at developing long-term solutions to Wisconsin's workforce challenges announced earlier this week. These projects will receive up to $59.5 million in grants through the first round of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program.

Audio file of Radio Address

Hey folks, Governor Tony Evers here.

We have great news in Wisconsin as our unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the country and we continue to have high participation in our state's workforce.

While that's something we should celebrate, we also know that Wisconsin faces workforce challenges that existed years before this pandemic hit. And it's time we confront the workforce challenges facing our state head-on.

So, this week, I announced we're investing up to nearly $60 million into 12 regional projects across the state to help find innovative, long-term, and community-based solutions for these challenges.

At the end of the day, we need to find new, creative solutions to keep our talented workers here in Wisconsin, bring new workers to our state, and connect our workers with jobs that are available in our communities.

Whether it's making childcare or transit more accessible so folks can get to work, investing in other workforce attraction and retention strategies, increasing worker skills and training, or developing programs that could help bring more workers into our workforce—we're working to develop cutting-edge ideas to meet the unique workforce needs of regions and communities across our state.

From Kenosha to Eau Claire, and Stevens Point to Door County, these investments will help folks get back to work and ensure our families, communities, and economy continue to recover together.

Thank you.