Last Tuesday's election was one of the most consequential Texas has seen in a generation. Some Texans are celebrating and others are disappointed. Either way, most of them are back at work.

There is already talk of coming together and building bridges. I welcome it. But I have spent most of my career working on one stubborn problem, so let me offer a practical reminder: we can't build bridges, or anything else, without a skilled workforce.

Somebody has to weld the steel and wire the substation. Somebody has to run the plant, fix the turbine and care for the patient. Across Texas, employers are telling us they can't find enough of those somebodies.

The gap is especially visible in middle-skill jobs, which require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. They make up a large share of the Texas economy, and the Texas Workforce Commission has made closing the gap a goal. Many of those jobs pay well and offer a real path to the middle class, and too many of them are going unfilled.

That skills gap doesn't check anyone's voter registration. It slows down a manufacturer on the Gulf Coast, a hospital in the Panhandle and a homebuilder in the Valley. It holds back the young Texan who would thrive in a trade but never learned that the career existed. Solving it doesn't belong to Republicans or Democrats, to business or labor, or to big cities or small towns. It belongs to all of us, and none of us can solve it alone.

We don't have to start from scratch. Business, educators, employees, and policy makers all have a stake in this, and there is common ground to work from. The Texas Workforce Alliance believes we should start with a few practical steps.

First, bring home more federal Workforce Pell dollars by having every public two-year and technical college identify at least one eligible program and name someone responsible for pursuing the grants.

Second, put master tradesmen in front of students by removing barriers and creating part-time and half-time teaching roles in career and technical education.

Third, start career exploration earlier by requiring it in middle school, before students decide what they can or can’t become. We should also open doors for foster youth through targeted outreach from public colleges that offer skilled-trade programs. And we should prepare workers for what’s next by building AI and digital literacy into career and technical education and adult education programs.

None of those are partisan ideas. They are simply good ideas, and a good idea shouldn't depend on who won on November 3. An election decides who holds office. It doesn't change what the state needs.

That conviction is why I founded the Texas Workforce Alliance. We are a statewide, employer-led association focused solely on workforce policy. Texas is fortunate to have strong associations that represent employers across a wide range of issues, and we are proud to work alongside them. Our job is narrower: listen to employers about what is standing in their way, bring the right people to the table, and advance practical policy to fix it. That table has room for the mom-and-pop shop and the Fortune 500 company, and for educators, employees, and all of our elected leaders.

The Legislature convenes in January with a long list of hard problems. Many of them will divide us. This one doesn't have to. Before the fights begin, let's start with the issue nearly every Texan can get behind: making sure every Texan who wants a good job has the skills to get one, and every employer can find the people to grow.

The Alliance will officially launch December 8 at the Texas State Capitol. I hope you will join us.

So yes, let's build bridges. Let's also make sure someone is trained to pour the concrete.

Joe W. Arnold is Founder and President of the Texas Workforce Alliance with over 20 years experience in workforce policy.

The above content was provided to Texas Business Brief for publication and is published as submitted, without independent verification or editorial revision. Texas Business Brief makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information, statements, images, videos, or other materials contained herein and assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions. The author or submitting party is solely responsible for the content and for obtaining all necessary rights, permissions, and licenses.