Anyone who follows Montgomery's annual legislative session knows it's always contentious.

The House has its priorities, the Senate has its priorities, the Governor has his priorities, and it's fair to say those priorities aren't always the same. Take the gaming that's been going on this session for example.

But there's a big push this session that has brought all of the state's top elected leaders together: an ambitious workforce, economic and community development package called “Work for Alabama.”

An announcement event in Montgomery last month featured a rare occurrence: Gov. Kay Ivey, along with Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth and Republican and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, unveiled seven bills that make up the “Working for Alabama” legislative package.

So what does Working for Alabama do? Let's start with workforce development. Right now, Alabama has one of the lowest labor force participation rates in the nation. Anyone with good eyesight knows this from the countless “Now Hiring” signs hanging in storefronts of businesses across the state.

The jobs are there. We just don't have the people trained and equipped to fill them. This is the Achilles heel of our state's economic growth. Businesses can't and won't set up shop in places that don't have the workers they need to operate.

This is a real problem, but our legislative leaders have accepted the challenge. Through 21 committees,st After years of hard work, research and study with Century Workforce, the committee released a report outlining common-sense ways to help create a workforce that’s second to none in Alabama.

The Alabama Workforce Reform Act would consolidate overlapping state agencies that currently operate in silos when it comes to the workforce, increasing efficiency and reducing waste in government. The new Secretary of Labor would act as a sort of “quarterback” to make sure these agencies are doing their jobs and getting results.

Think of it like a building project: If you have a bunch of independent contractors working on it without a general contractor overseeing it to make sure they're all working together efficiently, it's going to be a pretty sloppy job and the results will vary. The same is true with workforce development.

Working for Alabama also recognizes that many high school students don't plan on going to a four-year college. And let's be honest, many don't need to. There are high-paying, high-demand jobs available that don't require a four-year college degree. That's where Alabama's great community college system will play a big role in the success of this plan. This package will allow high school students to take full advantage of our valuable state resources to gain credentials and training while they're in school, and get a good job right when they graduate. This will help more young people start strong careers that can support their families and contribute to their communities.

The package aims to remove barriers to employment through the child care tax credit and ensure parents don't have to stay home because child care is unaffordable — a priority of House Speaker Nathaniel Leadbetter that will help countless families.

Working for Alabama would also bring about major improvements to the state's current economic development efforts. The state would need to create an economic development plan, update it regularly, and include input from industry committees. The nice thing about this plan is that it would measure success, so the state's economic development leaders can see if what they're doing is actually working, and if it's not, they can change their approach. Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed is spearheading this effort. He has been an economic development leader throughout his term in the Legislature.

“This bipartisan plan will also invest in our communities through critical resources, like funding for expanding high-speed internet, developing industrial land to attract industry, and other key areas. With the leadership of Governor Kay Ivey, Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, House Speaker Nathaniel Leadbetter, Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Reed, Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, and House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, we are all working together to make this plan a reality, which will truly revitalize Alabama's economy and workforce for years to come.

It's good to see all of our state's top elected leaders coming together and working for Alabama.

see you next week.

Steve Flowers’ weekly column appears in more than 60 newspapers across Alabama. He served as a state representative for 16 years. Contact him at [email protected].