Washington — If businesses really want more highly skilled workers, they must use their bully pulpit to promote educational reform in the United States, according to speakers here today at a business and education conference sponsored by the Conference Board.

That means the business sector should lobby state and national lawmakers on issues important to educators, not just policies that directly benefit businesses, the speakers said. “Business has an incredible influence if they speak with one voice,” said Linda Barrington, research director and labor economist for the board, which is a leading business membership and research organization.

The advice was based on discussions between business and education leaders at a meeting the group held in June. That meeting was convened to address a Conference Board report from last year, “Are They Really Ready to Work?,” that outlined what businesses see as the deficiencies of high-school and college graduates who enter the work force.

Interestingly, another key takeaway from that meeting was that it’s time to “stop the blame game.” —Elyse Ashburn