A task force charged with finding ways to meet the state’s demand for skilled labor wants to see more state support for workforce development, incentives for school districts to help students prepare for the workforce and more support for apprenticeship and job-training programs, the Times-News reports. The recommendations come from the Workforce Development Task Force, a group of industry and education figures and some state lawmakers and agency staff that has been studying the issue, unveiled at a state Workforce Development Council meeting at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls on Thursday.

Gov. Butch Otter created the task force in January, writes Times-News reporter Nathan Brown, charging it with finding ways to meet the state’s shortage of trained workers. According to the report’s introduction, while unemployment is low and more jobs are being created, many Idahoans are underemployed due to a lack of needed skills, with the gap projected to grow to 49,000 jobs by 2024 if nothing changes. You can read Brown’s full report here.

Apprenticeship programs are “particularly important,” said David Hill, a state Board of Education member who co-chaired the task force. “We want to see apprenticeship programs expanded,” he said. “I know unions are a dirty word here, but unions used to do a lot of apprenticeships in the past. ... We need to find something to fill the void.”