Leaders Call For High-Growth Industry Training, Workplace Equity to Drive a Post-COVID Economic Recovery for Connecticut’s Women
Hartford, CT – December 1, 2021 – Amid the continued economic toll of COVID on Connecticut’s female employees – particularly among those in lower-paying jobs –Connecticut leaders today released a report calling for a renewed effort to upskill and re-train our women workers.
“Connecticut’s women have shouldered the burden of Covid’s economic destruction,” said Jennifer Openshaw, CEO of Girls With Impact and the chair of the statewide effort.
“By creating a thoughtful post-COVID economic recovery plan, we can put Connecticut’s women on a path to long-term economic stability – and at the same time, benefit this great State and its employers.”
“While the State’s fiscal position has remained strong during the pandemic, we know that there has been an uneven economic recovery and that women, disproportionately women of color, have absorbed the harshest economic effects,” added state treasurer Shawn Wooden. “Both the public and private sectors need to continue to work towards advancing policies designed to overcome long-standing unfriendly policies towards women in the workplace.
“Girls With Impact’s report highlights how and why Connecticut leaders must remain forward-thinking in our approach and look to new opportunities that can grow our economy, generate significant job creation, and offer a path to a strong and sustainable economic recovery for everyone."
The report – A Post-COVID Economic Recovery for Connecticut’s Women – was commissioned by Girls With Impact (and sister organization, Women With Impact) and involved nearly 50 leaders across education, business, and government. Download the report here.
It contains insights into COVID’s impact on women and recommendations to advance women’s economic recovery in 2022-23, including a proposed statewide initiative.
The recommended “Back to Work” plan put forth by Girls With Impact centers on four key elements:
• Foundational business training that meets students where they are today
• Specific industry training in CT’s higher skilled/higher-paying jobs
• Experiential learning to transition women successfully into these roles
• One-to-one coaching for support, reinforcement, and development
“There are women in different circumstances – some looking for a job and others looking to start a business,” said Rich Jacob, Vice President for Federal and State Relations, Yale University. “We need different pathways depending on what their aspirations are.”
Lisa Dresdner, Ph.D., CEO of Naugatuck Valley Community College, added that “Training needs to have flexibility to accommodate different schedules.”
The Perils of COVID on Women
Nationwide, four times more women have left the workforce compared to men. Among unemployment claims filed by women, 75% were filed by women without a college degree.
Here in Connecticut, women – who make up the majority of employees in such industries as food (56%), education (67%), and health care (78%) – were the shock absorbers of Covid’s havoc.
Nearly 70% said their ability to return to work was impaired, according to a report, “Essential Equity: Women, Covid-19 and Rebuilding CT.” One-half (50%) of the state’s Women of Color reported a decrease in monthly income. The economic impact could reach $150-500 million in lost wages, says the report.
Solutions for Women’s Recovery and Stability
While childcare overwhelmingly stands out as the number-one issue policy leaders must address, the Report attempted to look beyond policy issues, focusing in particular on training and employment support.
Other findings from the report include:
• Foundations for Economic Resiliency – When asked about the critical factors that would drive women’s professional and economic resiliency, leaders said Retraining in High-Growth Industries and Higher Paying Jobs were both equally important (with 68% agreeing for is important), followed by Professional Skills (60%) and Re-Entry Support (57%), such as returnships.
• Supporting younger women 18-24 -- 100% of leaders surveyed said Job Training in High Growth Areas is important/very important to helping young women gain employment, along with Building Pipelines to Connect Diverse Women with Employers and Professional Skills Development (both at 96%).
• Supporting later-stage women – Workforce training is seen as more important to advancing later-stage women with 92% saying this is important/very important.
• Barriers to success – 100% of leaders said the lack of family care is a high/very high barrier to women’s professional and economic success, followed by lack of access to venture capital (75%).
• Responsibility -- Asked who should be responsible for advancing an economic recovery for women, 41% of leaders said Government, followed by Employers at 36%.
• Employer participation -- Asked if they would play a role to advance women, employers said they would provide mentoring, internships, entrepreneurship training and job shadowing.
Catherine Marx, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration, pointed out an often overlooked opportunity for women business owners: “Auntie Sammie procures almost everything; it’s the largest purchaser. So, women-owned small businesses out there: don’t think you don’t have that opportunity.”
The report also includes recommendations to drive equity in the hiring, retention and upward mobility of Women of Color.
Shannon Marimon, executive director of ReadyCT, added: “There’s a lot of opportunity with two generation solutions -- build the immediate confidence and capacity with existing adult women while simultaneously serving girls and young women.”
The report was made possible with support from Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and JP Morgan Chase.
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About Girls With Impact & Women With Impact
Girls With Impact and sister program Women With Impact, a 501c3, operates the nation’s only live, online mini-MBA for women 14-24.The 10-week, after-school Business and Leadership Academy moves women from ideation to a business plan and venture pitch, driving improvements in confidence, leadership, college readiness and professional skills for success. The organization started in 2017 when the World Economic Forum, in Davos, brought attention to the need to increase the number of women in leadership. Girls With Impact partners with corporations, workforce agencies, and foundations who make our work possible.
Download the report: www.girlswithimpact.org/covid-womens-report
Contact: Sara Segall
sara.segall@girlswithimpact.com
(203) 900-4745