The time has come to serve the middle skilled workforce in the United States. In an interview with Todd Hand of Boston Search Group, Penn Foster CEO Frank Britt explains the recent trends and future outlook for the workforce development industry. Highlighting the importance of upskilling and investing in the middle skilled, or “gray collar,” cohort of workers, Britt’s interview focuses on how organizations are finally becoming aware of this need for workforce development.

As technology continues to evolve at an incredibly fast rate, the role of staffing firms has changed with it. The average worker is finding it more and more difficult to stay current with the necessary skills to succeed in a labor market that’s requiring more of them each and every day, and the result is a growing skills gap. As that gap widens, the role of staffing firms has become more important than ever. No longer are staffing firms able to simply play matchmaker between an employer and a prospective hire; in order to remain competitive, they must be able to cultivate highly qualified candidates and successfully find homes for them with the right organizations at the right time.

Businesses today are increasingly being faced with a similar challenge: The need for highly talented employees is moving at a much faster pace than the skills development of those employees. Rapid advancements in technology have completely changed the landscape of the modern labor market, and organizations have more of a responsibility than ever to ensure that they’re working to help close this skills gap and giving their workers the ability to survive in a highly competitive environment. In Penn Foster’s eBook, “Manufacturing Talent: The New Role for Apprenticeships in Today’s Labor Market,” author Collin Gutman details the work that is being done by several major organizations to pioneer the rebirth of the modern apprenticeship, dispels some common myths about apprenticeships, and offers a blueprint for success for businesses looking to launch their own programs.  

One of the great things about our country is that we are not just defined by what’s happened in the past, we’re also shaped by the possibilities of the future.  So, on a day that is the ultimate definition of the “present,” the monthly release of the Labor Department’s jobs report, I think we should celebrate – but only for a quick moment – the positive numbers and look ahead to what we can all do to make the jobs environment even better in that future we can still invent.

The need for increased investment in training and development has never been greater. That was the sentiment expressed by Penn Foster CEO Frank Britt in an interview with Ed Tech Times at last month’s LearnLaunch conference. With an emphasis on “closing the skills gap,” Britt explains that given high-growth occupation industries like hospitality and skilled trades, effective middle skilled workers are in increasingly high demand. However, many middle skilled workers do not have all of the skills they need to be the most effective. This lack of effective middle skilled workers has created this middle skills gap which hurts employers, businesses, and employees themselves.

The demand for front line employees with well-developed soft skills has never been higher. While technical skills have been and will always remain important, soft skills are the crucial capabilities for employees working in any industry. From retail to manufacturing, strong soft skills has become the number one requirement for incoming or newly hired employees.¹

Parties often take on an energy and life all their own. Hosting a Jazz it Up in the D Celebration to honor Brenda Jones’ (left) re-election as president of Detroit City Council had that distinct energy that comes from a capacity crowd watching performers up close when they put their unique talents together in creative ways. The Stephen Grady Junior Jazz Trio was on hand at our home as we welcomed over 125 captivating artists, community and business leaders and friends to celebrate the next chapter for Detroit. Stephen Jr. and friends Jake and Rocco thrilled the audience with their riffs on sax, bass and guitar. Clearly, they have skills!

The creation of  a national movement that can better connect education, career pathways, and job creation - while also promoting affordable learning - will take the collaboration and cooperation of as many private and public sector players as possible. It's going to take a renewal of American spirit and a determined collective effort, the inspiration for which can found in Charles Dickens' classic: A Christmas Carol.

While the number of available jobs in the United States is growing, employers are struggling to fill vacancies due to a lack of workers with the right skills. Overemphasis on the bachelor’s degree as the gold standard postsecondary credential has led to an insufficient number of prospective employees with the appropriate skills. To close the skills gap, academic institutions offering short-term career diploma, certificate and degree programs need to take a new approach.