The Penn Foster Blog

The construction industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, losing 1.1 million jobs in March and April 2020 alone. But as the world continues to reopen in varying degrees, the industry has experienced much-needed recovery, regaining 888,000 of the jobs lost. With construction season in full swing combined with a housing market boom, the need for new residential and commercial construction and renovation is only expected to grow and construction companies will need more skilled workers than ever. In order to meet your project goals, it’s essential that you can attract the new talent you need and that your employees are prepared for the work ahead of them. That's where a comprehensive training program can help.

Veterinary clinics are seeing more patients, from wellness visits to emergent cases, making trained veterinary technicians more vital to a successful practice than ever especially as the number of pet owners is increasing. Pet adoptions grew 70% during the pandemic and an ASPCA survey conducted in May 2021 found that 90% of pets adopted during the last year have stayed with their owners. Handling an influx of new pet owners, plus providing excellent service to current clients, can be overwhelming for a veterinary healthcare team that has already weathered a number of changes throughout the last year and a half. Ensuring your staff is prepared to meet demand and utilize their skills to their fullest capabilities is important to maintaining efficiency and practice success. One way to do that? Provide in-depth, AVMA-accredited online training.

Northwest Career College’s (NCC) mission is to inspire the next generation of professionals through dedication to service, commitment to mentorship, and innovation in education. In just the last year, they’ve seen a massive increase in enrollment, graduation, and matriculation rates in their partner program with Penn Foster. We recently spoke with Nicole Pangelinan, designated Special Populations Coordinator at NCC, to learn more about what it takes to help learners succeed. Her student-centered best practices can be credited with the new-found success of the program.

Yulanda Edgin, a Walmart associate, found our online Optician Career Diploma Program through our partnership with Guild Education. Wanting to further her career in the optical field, Yulanda needed training. That’s when her manager encouraged her to enroll in our self-paced program. Yulanda graduated from the program this year and is now studying to become licensed. She’s also encouraging her coworkers to advance their career.

Ever since the world stopped last March, we’ve anxiously waited for an end to, or at least a respite, from the pandemic. We watched the medical field undergo massive changes, working harder than ever, with an increased need to fill many medical roles while simultaneously developing new and essential skills. However, now that the vaccine rollout is well under way, many of us are left to wonder what the future of healthcare will look like in a post-vaccine world.

One of the many ways the US felt an impact of COVID-19 has undoubtedly been a large jolt to, and spotlight on, the infrastructure of the nation’s healthcare industry. In a matter of months, prior assumptions and behaviors regarding how Americans work within the healthcare industry, and receive care as patients, came into question as we were forced to reimagine and reshape job productivity and patient care. Doctors across the nation are newly relying on telemedicine to allow them to see a greater number of patients remotely. The bandwidth and workflow within each individual medical facility across the nation has been uniquely pressured and challenged.

The initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a dire need for skilled, highly trained healthcare workers. While there was an increase in healthcare jobs last summer, there has been a significant decrease in recent openings which could be attributable to the fact that the vaccine rollout has begun to reduce cases and hospitalization rates. However, a shortage remains in vital middle skilled and support positions. The current lack of qualified applicants for these jobs is adding continued stress on healthcare facilities and resulting in diminished patient care. The impacts of the pandemic on the workforce are likely to be evident for some time to come, but utilizing education and job training to upskill displaced, or emerging, workers into healthcare positions can ease the burden the country is currently experiencing. Instead of workers pursuing new, often lengthy educational avenues, a learn-and-earn model can play a vital role in filling in-demand positions, while engaging the economy through gainful apprenticeships and vocational training.

Veterinary medicine typically draws a particular personality type, usually those who possess a strong sense of compassion. While this is an asset to those animals in need, showing strong emotions is not always a benefit in a professional setting. When we allow our emotions to control our responses and behaviors, we inflict our feelings upon our co-workers causing a rippling chain reaction. Equally, when we suppress our feelings, we create a cold disconnect that manifests negatively in other forms. Neither extreme is beneficial to a functioning, successful practice with employees invested for the long haul. Penn Foster’s latest webinar discussed the importance of emotional intelligence in vet practices, and life in general, with industry leaders Shawn McVey and Dr. Annika VanNoy from Pathway Vet Alliance.

In today’s skilled trades industry, we seem to have reached an interesting crossroads in which employers are struggling to find and retain skilled workers, while workers are struggling to find practical and financially accessible training options. Apprenticeships are a great solution for both parties, providing organizations with the well-trained workforce they need, while allowing workers to make money while they learn.

Talent within the skilled trades industry is seemingly becoming harder to find as time goes on. The root of the problem may lie in a lack of sufficient training solutions that upskill today’s trades workforce to keep pace with modern needs. Learn how Penn Foster’s trades programs are constantly being updated to stay on the forefront of today’s business needs.