The Penn Foster Blog

When more women join our labor forces, the economy benefits. As the Washington Center for Equitable Growth has repeatedly pointed out, there is a significant relationship worth identifying between a country’s per capita Gross Domestic Product and the women’s labor force participation rate in that country. However, it’s no secret that in the US, a number of industries seem to have remained male-dominated over time, the skilled trades industry long being one of them. In 2018, fewer than one in 20 construction trades workers were women, according to a study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

Recently, we spoke with Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian” and founder of Fear Free, about the impact Fear Free certification can have on veterinary practices, veterinary technicians, and their clients. Founded in 2016, Fear Free provides online and in-person education to veterinary professionals, pet professionals, animal welfare communities, and pet owners.

The demand for trained medical assistants was already high, and steadily growing, before the COVID-19 pandemic had even reached the United States. In the aftermath of 2020’s blow to the bandwidth of the healthcare system, leaders are now faced with additional challenges when it comes to recruiting and hiring within their struggling healthcare organizations.

Traditionally, when we think about a local veterinary clinic, we’re thinking about the small, privately-owned practice run by a local veterinarian. But the concept of the veterinary hospital has changed over the last decade due to the increase in corporate-owned hospitals and clinics. It’s estimated that there were about 5,200 corporately owned clinics across the United States at the end of 2019 - and that number is only expected to grow. The growth and widespread success of corporate veterinary companies like Banfield and Mission Veterinary Partners isn’t just due to having access to a larger budget than smaller clinics; they offer a trusted standard of care that can work in a hospital in a rural town or a small clinic in a bustling city. Further, these big-name hospitals offer a variety of benefits to clients and employees that is also standardized. Private practices can take note of what corporate veterinary hospitals are doing well and implement changes at scale.

Recently, we spoke with Paul Freedman, President of the Learning Marketplace, Guild Education, to learn more about the impact of training and education on the workforce and employers. Guild Education is on a mission to unlock opportunity for America's workforce through education, with a double bottom-line business model that does well by doing good. Guild partners with leading employers and organizations to help offer education benefits to America's workforce. Through partnership with Penn Foster, over 8k employees of Walmart, Lowe's, Disney, and other leading employers have accessed Penn Foster education and training programs through the Guild's platform since 2016.

As the United States slowly recovers from the economic impact of the pandemic, adding 379,000 jobs in February, displaced workers – the still 6.2% of Americans that are currently unemployed – are searching for new, stable opportunities. One sector that continues to need more trained, qualified applicants is the healthcare industry. While healthcare has historically been a growing industry, as vaccine distribution ramps up, clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, and physician’s offices will need more help than ever. But how can we rapidly prepare workers to meet the demand? That’s where colleges and training organizations come in.

Across the country, the vaccination roll out plans have ranged from highly successful for some states, to nearly abysmal for others. With President Biden promising that all adults in the United States will be able to receive a vaccination by May, states and vaccine providers are pressed to ramp up distribution. In order to meet the demand, pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics will need more help than ever to get shots into arms.

A thriving veterinary practice owner or manager knows that success comes from a combination of good medicine and good business. A strong veterinary healthcare team, from veterinary assistants and credentialed veterinary technicians to veterinarians, can grow your practice – providing quality care while increasing your bottom line. Part of creating an effective team is utilizing veterinary technicians and other staff to their full potential, which includes ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to educate clients. With pet insurance becoming more prevalent, your veterinary technicians should be familiar with what it is, how it works, and how to talk about it with clients.

As pet ownership continues to increase and current clients are seeking more wellness visits, many overwhelmed veterinary practices are struggling to accommodate appointments. This influx of new patients has put more stress on veterinary healthcare teams, contributing to an already high rate of burnout or compassion fatigue for working veterinary technicians and assistants. One way to address this issue is through increased veterinary technician utilization. Penn Foster recently hosted a roundtable discussion with industry thought leaders Liza Rudolph from East Coast Veterinary Education, Liz Hughston, President of the National Veterinary Professionals Union, and Julie Legred, co-owner of Veterinary Advancements and Vet Team Global Stream, to glean insight into proper utilization and how it can have a positive impact on productivity, client care, and the veterinary team as a whole. Here’s what we learned.

Jobs within the manufacturing industry have undoubtedly changed a great deal. From innovations in technology and automation to the impact of artificially intelligent solutions on efficiency, this is an industry with a long history of adapting to fit the mold of ever-changing needs and possibilities. As we look towards the future, it’s important to note the specific changes we’re seeing as we consider how to most efficiently prepare today’s workforce to meet the impending needs of tomorrow.