Solving The Talent Crisis: The Case For A Collaborative Approach

Career College Central summary:

It’s well documented that in the United States employers have millions of unfilled jobs, and job-seekers often don’t have the skills to fill them. As a further complication, “soft skills” are increasingly critical to success in the 21st century workforce, but many employers are also finding that today’s prospective job candidates aren’t equipped with those skills either. This increasing gap between talent supply and demand continues to be a critical discussion amongst key stakeholders who are joining forces to collaborate to improve the problem.
From the perspective of talent supply, educational institutions and other skilling programs have played a key role in creating more job-ready talent. Many organizations are already making great efforts to bridge the skill divide through demand-driven training and education programs like Year Up, which is working to close the opportunity divide by providing young adults with skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. In addition, Ashoka’s Changemaker Schools Network is doing its part by working with schools across the country to introduce empathy early in child development, a soft skill that employers say is lacking in prospective hires today.
Employers have also become more involved in supporting young job-seekers with the transition into the professional world. Several leading companies have looked to unions to help them adopt apprenticeship programs as a way to develop talent specific to their industry. For example, Boeing collaborated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers to help train union members in order to increase hiring opportunities for members. Kaiser developed a similar partnership with a coalition of unions to provide training for healthcare-relevant skills such as health technician training, effective communication, and even math skills.

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