Maria Flynn

CEO, Jobs for the Future and Contributor at Forbes

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Articles

America Is Facing A Talent Mismatch. Congress Can Help.

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

As short-form credentials emerge as a tool for economic mobility, widening the allowable use of Pell ... More dollars to access many of these programs can unlock pathways to economic mobility. gettyAmericans want good jobs. American employers need skilled workers. Yet three out of four employers say they have difficulty filling full-time roles, even as many current job seekers report challenges in finding new employment.
Here’s How To Embrace The Overlooked Talent Pool Of Returning Citizens

2 months ago | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

Last month, I stepped outside of my typical orbit of the office, conference circuit, and board meetings. Instead, I traveled two hours outside of Denver to visit a few dozen women serving sentences in La Vista Correctional Facility in Pueblo, Colorado.
I Recently Visited A Women’s Prison. Here’s How To Embrace This Talent Pool

2 months ago | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

Last month, I stepped outside of my typical orbit of the office, conference circuit, and board meetings. Instead, I traveled two hours outside of Denver to visit a few dozen women serving sentences in La Vista Correctional Facility in Pueblo, Colorado.
The Nursing Crisis Seen In The Pitt Is Real. Here’s Hope For Solving It

2 months ago | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

Like millions of other viewers, I’ve been drawn into the new medical drama The Pitt. Set in the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, the show centers on Dr. “Robby” Robinavitch—portrayed by Noah Wylie—as he confronts not only relentless medical emergencies, but also the everyday struggles of an overburdened healthcare system. One recurring theme: Robinavitch’s pleas to the hospital’s chief medical officer to hire more nurses.
Beyond The Zero-Sum Game: Worker And Business Success Go Hand In Hand

Mar 24, 2025 | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

From the industrial strikes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries to the Occupy Wall Street movement, the relationship between workers and business is often framed as a zero-sum game in which gains for one side mean losses for the other. This long standing tension has fueled a widespread perception that to be pro-worker is necessarily to be anti-business, and to be pro-business is to be anti-worker.
President Trump’s Workforce Policy May Be More Familiar Than You Think

Feb 25, 2025 | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

The Trump Administration has put an end to business-as-usual in the federal government, and the pace of change has left no shortage of government stakeholders off balance. But while the pendulum may be swinging farther and faster than it has in recent years, over the long arc of federal history, there are some similarities to approaches by past administrations.
Three Actions For Trump’s First 100 Days

Jan 16, 2025 | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

As President-elect Trump’s second inauguration approaches, it’s easy to look at the results of last year’s election as a sign of great polarization across the country. After all, the rancor and division that characterized the weeks leading up to November 5 were troubling to many of us who believe in the power of bipartisan collaboration and work on both sides of the aisle — and recent Gallup research indicates that more than three-quarters of Americans predict a year of political conflict ahead.
How Private Equity Can Contribute To The Public Good

Dec 9, 2024 | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

Today, as corporations increasingly realize that investing in their own workforces can boost the bottom line as well as employee advancement, private equity is becoming a surprising, yet welcome new player. In a growing number of cases, private equity firms are even leading the way on best practices to build quality jobs and a thriving workforce.
Will Economic Populism Be The Winning Ticket?

Oct 31, 2024 | forbes.com | Maria Flynn

With just days until the election and a dead heat in most polls, both parties are vying for the mantle of economic populism.
The ‘Sandwich Generation’ Is Trapped in a Caregiving Crunch. There Is a Solution.

Oct 21, 2024 | usnews.com | Maria Flynn |Nat Kendall-Taylor |David Alexander |Jarbas Barbosa

Earlier this year, I lost my parents. In their final months, instead of being able to focus on savoring our time together, our family was overwhelmed by the burdens of caregiving and the shortcomings of our health care system for the elderly. After suffering a fall, my mother, who had dementia, needed 24-hour care in a skilled nursing facility. But the facility lacked the necessary workers to provide the comprehensive care that her doctors recommended.