Vermont finds itself, yet again, in a tough spot when it comes to a sustainable workforce. Young people simply can't afford to live here. The cost of living is high and climbing, and jobs that pay enough to raise a family are increasingly rare.  The work force clearly illustrates a “common good” principle—public OR private OR both—we all need workers to guarantee our future in Vermont.

 

One way to approach this is to ask: how do we keep young people here? Chittenden County's colleges likely draw more young people to Vermont than any other force in the state; so how do we keep them here after graduation? We can also lean into something Vermont already has: generations of families whose grown children want to stay close to the land, to family, and to this magical place we call home.

  

The workers we need now—and must build clear paths for—include:

• Health care: dental hygienists, registered nurses, nurse and medical assistants, mental-health clinicians.

• Trades: carpenters, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, drivers.

• Education and social services: teachers, substitute and assistant teachers, social workers.

• Technology: software engineers, AI technicians, cybersecurity experts.

• Manufacturing: advanced manufacturing technicians, machinists.

 

2026 should be an ideal moment to put down roots in Vermont's workforce. Unemployment is low and entry-level jobs are available. But too many eligible workers can't afford to rent or buy a home, and the basics—accessible, affordable health care and child care—are still out of reach. We risk losing potential and current workers alike if we don't close that gap soon. The paths that exist today are fragmented: piecemeal scholarships for education and training, with little clear, step-by-step guidance toward further education or housing.

 

Imagine this instead: a social-work graduate and a carpenter's apprentice, building a life together, qualify for near-full payment of their training and education, plus a low-down-payment mortgage with favorable rates. They put down roots. They grow their household, build their careers, spend their earnings in their community, care for aging family members, and pay taxes that fund public education (including high-school tech centers), roads, and infrastructure—including the very training programs, a "Vermont Professional Academy," that will serve their own children's generation. Building that kind of system will take real public-private partnership. 

 

If we fail to act on workforce development, the cost of living will keep climbing, and care for our aging neighbors and schoolchildren will suffer. And we can be sure that private-equity-funded, out-of-state corporations will see the vacuum and step in to fill it—most likely to our collective detriment.