Nov. 21, 2025 9:30a
(WGTD)---A recent examination of advertised job openings in Racine County found that the most predominant type of post came from temporary help firms. To former state legislator Jeff Neubauer, that’s a strong sign that---in this age of a shrinking labor force--- the process of preparing for a job or career and entering the job market, and then the recruiting and screening that goes on on the other end is broken. "I was an employer in this town for 30 years," Neubauer told the Racine City Council during a recent presentation. "I know many employers. And most of them would say we would prefer to do a direct hire if we could find the people we want," he said.
Neubauer heads up a new non-profit called “Align Wisconsin.” It’s described as a workforce intermediary that’s in line with a national organization called America Achieves.
Neubauer went on to describe his work and his observations: "People are looking for work and we have employers who are looking for people. But somehow they are not aligned and they are not connecting."
What’s needed, he said, are stronger pathways that’ll lead to employment, and employers that take a more active role in building the workforce. "This is a real mind-shift. It's a change in practice," he said. "It is a change in how we need to organize if we want to get the jobs that we have to get filled, filled, and if we want to meet the needs of the people in the community who have not been well-served historically."
Time and time again, the City of Racine is listed as having the state’s highest unemployment rate. But Neubauer says if just 467 people in five census tracks in Racine’s central city would find employment then Racine would be at the state average.
Neubauer is signing up employers whose beliefs align with those of his new non-profit. Topping the list is Ascension, the City of Racine and Twin Disc.
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