{"id":229423,"date":"2026-02-12T16:47:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T02:47:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=229423"},"modified":"2026-07-01T15:50:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T01:50:53","slug":"uh-statewide-push-to-keep-residents-good-jobs-wages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/12\/uh-statewide-push-to-keep-residents-good-jobs-wages\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> part of statewide push to keep residents home through good jobs, wages"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Group
Some members of the Learn, Work, Thrive Hui at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii\u2019s February 10 All-Sector Partnerships meeting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> plays a pivotal role within a new statewide coalition dedicated to securing Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s economic future. As a founding member of the “Generational Workforce Commitment,” UH<\/abbr> is uniting with government, business and philanthropic sectors to ensure that by 2045, every resident has a clear path to a living-wage career.<\/p>\n

“Building on the State Unified Plan, the Commitment takes a comprehensive, data-driven approach to ensure our keiki can build careers right here at home,” said Gov. Josh Green. “This isn\u2019t about quick fixes. It\u2019s about generational change. When we align our schools, our university system, our employers and our state agencies around a common goal, we create real pathways for Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>‘s families to earn living wages and thrive in our state.”<\/p>\n

Learn, work, thrive<\/h2>\n

The initiative is driven by the Learn, Work, Thrive Hui\u2014a coalition co-facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Workforce Funders Collaborative (HWFC<\/abbr>). HWFC<\/abbr> acts as a catalyst organization, bringing philanthropic partners together to support a unified workforce strategy.<\/p>\n

Matt Stevens, executive director of HWFC<\/abbr>, noted that this shared governance is essential for solving entrenched economic issues.<\/p>\n

“We know Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s workforce challenges aren\u2019t simple, and they can\u2019t be solved alone by any one organization or stakeholder,” said Stevens. “This Commitment is about choosing to work differently over the long term: staying focused on shared outcomes, making tough decisions, and investing in what actually changes people\u2019s lives”.<\/p>\n

Strengthening educational pathways<\/h2>\n

Education systems are a critical part of ensuring that pathways to these outcomes are accessible, seamless and durable over time. Through the Commitment, alignment between the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Department of Education and UH<\/abbr> is strengthened, building the shared infrastructure needed to efficiently connect learners across the state to existing, unfilled good jobs today, while increasing the system\u2019s ability to adapt as new industries and opportunities emerge over the coming decades.<\/p>\n

“Expanding on sector partnerships and increasing work-based learning opportunities like internships are explicit goals of the Commitment, and aligned closely with UH<\/abbr>\u2019s strategic plan,” said Christine Beaule, UH<\/abbr> director of workforce development.<\/p>\n

“Our responsibility to the next generation is twofold: we must provide the rigorous academic preparation all students deserve and need, while creating the conditions that allow them to build a life in the islands,” added Stephen Schatz, executive director of Hawaii P<\/abbr>–20 Partnerships for Education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> leaders are advancing a bold goal to ensure residents have living-wage jobs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":229425,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[61,62,63,64,65,71,14,9,60,947,59,66,603],"class_list":["post-229423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-hawaii-community-college","tag-honolulu-community-college","tag-kapiolani-community-college","tag-kauai-community-college","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-uh-hilo","tag-uh-manoa","tag-maui-college","tag-uh-system","tag-uh-west-oahu","tag-windward-community-college","tag-workforce-development","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t