Gov. Josh Shapiro is offering a starting point to boost three professions struggling to find workers. And while his tax credit for nurses, police officers and teachers may help a bit, in our opinion it is likely destined to have a limited impact if it is approved by the state Legislature.

Shapiro wants to provide a state-backed tax credit of up to $2,500 a year for three years for new nurses, teachers and police officers. It may help — though no one should be misled into thinking they will actually see $2,500 a year. Those earning $50,000 would receive about $1,535 a year, the amount they would pay in state income tax. And, it would take a year on the job before you could claim the tax credit, so it’s not an immediate financial help. Still, $1,500 a year is nothing to sneeze at and may convince some to locate in Pennsyvania.

In our opinion, however, throwing money at the problem simply papers over the bigger issue holding some back from going into teaching, policing or nursing — the cost of training. If we want more nurses and teachers, then we need to make it less daunting for people to enter those professions or lessen the debt necessary for the training and education necessary. Scholarships to state universities for police officers, teachers and nurses is likely to have more impact than a one-time tax credit. And given the number of teachers in Warren County teaching under an emergency certification, the state should find a way to recognize the on-the-job training some teachers are receiving and find a way to convert those emergency certifications to full certification as easily as possible.

Shapiro’s tax credit may help, but no one should be under the impression it solves the problem. There is more work to be done.