Small businesses are the backbone of Alabama’s economy. They make up 99 percent of businesses in the state and employ nearly half of its workforce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. They drive innovation, shape our communities, and create jobs.
However, many of our Main Street businesses are struggling to find skilled workers.
A recent report from my organization, the National Federation of Independent Business, NFIB, found that 35 percent of small business owners nationwide had job openings they could not fill. In January, 52 percent of small businesses were hiring or trying to hire, but nearly half of them found few or no qualified applicants. Twenty-four percent reported only a few qualified applicants, while 23 percent said they had none.
That echoes what I’m hearing from small businesses here in Alabama. One reason for this labor shortage is that many Alabamians aren’t in the workforce.
The state Department of Labor says about 57 percent of working-age adults participate in the labor force, well below the national average of 62 percent. Small business owners feel the impact every day—positions stay open, current employees are overworked, and growth is limited by the lack of skilled workers.
As state director for NFIB, I know how critical workforce development is to small business success. When businesses can’t find workers with the right skills, they struggle to compete and grow. Unfortunately, most small businesses don’t have the time or resources to train new employees from scratch.
Thankfully, Alabama’s small businesses have a strong partner in the Alabama Community College System, ACCS. Community colleges provide education and training that prepare workers for real-world jobs—quickly and effectively.
One standout program is the ACCS Innovation Center, which offers Skills for Success courses. These short, non-credit programs are designed with input from industries to meet workforce needs. In as little as two weeks, participants can earn industry-recognized skills at no cost. For small business owners, this creates a pipeline of job-ready workers without the high costs of on-the-job training.
The idea is simple: Main Street businesses should focus on running their operations, not training workers from the ground up. ACCS understands this and has built programs to help. Whether it’s preparing new workers or teaching existing employees new skills, these courses allow small businesses to focus on growth instead of struggling to fill essential positions.
Beyond the Innovation Center, Alabama’s community colleges support workers at every stage of their careers. Whether someone is earning a GED, getting a technical certification, pursuing an associate degree, or retraining for a new industry, our community colleges offers flexible education to meet Alabama’s workforce needs.
By investing in education, training, and industry partnerships, ACCS does more than help individuals—it strengthens Alabama’s small businesses and, in turn, the state’s economy. For small business owners and employees alike, the Alabama Community College System isn’t just a place to learn—it’s a partner in success.
