I am drawn to recent comments of Labor Commissioner Robert Winglass about the skills gap in Maine (Feb. 19).

Sadly, it is true that some Maine employers are offering good jobs at high wages but cannot find workers with the skills to do those jobs. Even before the recession, a national survey of employers revealed businesses were facing major deficiencies in the work force, with many new employees lacking communication skills, a sense of professionalism and the ability to think critically under pressure.

Although we need to train and retrain current workers, we also need to have the vision for a long-term strategy to reverse these gaps. To lay the foundation for a future skilled work force, I suggest policymakers consider high-quality early education for the very youngest children.

Studies have confirmed that children participating in quality early learning programs are notably more likely to enter school with the underlying skills they need to succeed, both academically and later in the work force.

Such programs can increase language skills, lower the need for special education and increase graduation rates. Particularly important to employers, studies show that quality early learning programs increase rates of employment for graduates by as much as 22 percent at age 40.

It’s also economically sound. A recent study of quality early learning programs in the journal Science in June noted that investments in Chicago’s Child-Parent Centers returned $10 for every $1 invested.

That’s a fantastic rate of return and a key component for ensuring we reverse Maine’s skill-gap challenges.

Charles A. Morrison, Lewiston

President, Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce

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