Workforce 2020 Conference Summary (Special Issue)

U.S. labor markets are extremely tight at present—tighter, at least, than for most of the past quarter century—and prospects are good that America will continue to face tight labor markets during the first quarter of the twenty-first century. On September 23–24, 1998, the Workforce 2020 Conference, conducted by the Hudson Institute, addressed a number of issues related to ongoing labor market tightness, including the impact on different regions, industries, occupations, skill levels and ethnic groups; the implications for future economic growth; and the types of policy actions that will enable communities to prosper in this environment. This Chicago Fed Letter summarizes some of the conference presentations.