J.P.Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says the key to solving America’s labor shortage lies in the classroom. Speaking at the Business Roundtable’s CEO Workforce Forum, Dimon argued that U.S. schools must evolve to provide students with the skills most in demand by employers.
J.P.Morgan boss Jamie Dimon
“What you’re really short on is the skills you need,” Dimon said, pointing to the growing demand for expertise in cyber security, coding, programming, project management and financial management. He emphasized that businesses should take a more active role in shaping curricula and working directly with schools to better prepare students for the modern workforce.
New York Jobs CEO Council
Dimon, who serves on the board of the New York Jobs CEO Council, said that schools and universities should continue teaching traditional subjects — particularly American history — but also incorporate more career-oriented training. His vision includes integrating credentialed courses into standard curriculums rather than offering them only as extracurricular or optional programs. “There are wonderful examples of programs that help kids get jobs after graduation,” he said, encouraging business leaders to collaborate with schools to expand such efforts. He added that some institutions are already more open to private-sector partnerships than others.
J.P.Morgan programs
J.P.Morgan has launched a variety of programs to support these goals, including apprenticeships and school-based training in technology and business management. Dimon has repeatedly stressed that better workplace preparation is essential to bridge opportunity gaps, noting that many high school and college graduates end up in retail or inventory positions despite a growing need for specialized skills. “They all want jobs,” he said. “Graduating, a lot of these kids end up doing— and it’s not bad—retail or inventory. But there are jobs in coding, cyber, financial management.”
Private sector
Dimon also urged business leaders not to rely solely on government intervention, saying the private sector must play a major role in driving meaningful change. His comments come as young Americans face a tightening job market, with artificial intelligence increasingly displacing some entry-level roles. As the country’s labor landscape evolves, Dimon’s call for a skills-focused education system highlights the pressure on both schools and companies to adapt. By investing in classroom-to-career pipelines, he believes the U.S. can better equip its workforce for the future.
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