The Penn Foster Blog

By now most corporations recognize that the United States is facing a skills gap. Yet there are still some people who refuse to believe the skills gap exists. While it's tempting to claim that these skills gap deniers have some political agenda that can only succeed if the skills gap is proven false, the reality is that most people who don't believe in the skills gap are looking at the problem too narrowly. 

While libraries have significantly evolved over the last decade to become more technologically advanced, they have also progressed considerably when it comes to providing educational services to their patrons. This is especially important in a time when 73% of American adults consider themselves lifelong learners.1 Nick Buron, Chief Librarian at a location that serves nearly 2.3 million patrons, takes it one step further and insists that lifelong learning is "no longer a luxury " it is a necessity."

High-profile business leaders know the value of employee training. PwC Chairman Tim Ryan told the Wall Street Journal, "In the next three years, upskilling will be a required employee benefit just like a 401(k) or health care." The promise of training helps you attract great employees when included as part of your benefits package. But employees aren't the only ones to benefit. Your business can realize a positive return on investment by offering learning and development opportunities for your employees.

Alternative energy, especially solar energy, has become an increasingly in-demand resource over the last decade. There have been several reasons that have driven this demand, including environmental motivations as more and more people are looking for renewable energy resources. Additionally, the cost of installing solar panels has decreased dramatically. Since 2010, PV panel cost estimates have declined by almost 56% for residential installations, and over 70% for both non-residential/commercial and utility-scale installations.1 The falling costs have increased the accessibility and demand, ultimately making solar installation skills more valuable in today's job market.

You might already be convinced that giving your employees access to training and educational opportunities is good for them and good for your business. Now you have to decide what kind of learning opportunities to offer them. Should you hire an in-house trainer? Partner with a local community college? Provide tuition assistance for a traditional four-year institution? Online learning is becoming more and more popular. Is that an avenue worth exploring?   

The culmination of months or years of focus, rearranged schedules, and late night studying is a noteworthy achievement for any graduate, but is often even more so for those learners who pursue their goals outside of a traditional school setting. Whether through employer-sponsored upskilling and workforce development initiatives or personal efforts to start a new career path or advance within their current company, these learners are working toward a tangible outcome: improving their lives through education. And though that outcome alone is acknowledgement of success, there's nothing that feels quite the same as walking across a stage with fellow graduates, family and friends: a cheering cacophony in the background. In fact, commencement ceremonies have become so ingrained in the culture of education that, without it, the dedication and work that lead a student to successfully complete their course almost feels like a cliffhanger ending in a movie with no sequel.

Those drawn to the veterinary medical field are often motivated primarily by their passion and dedication to animals and their well-being. From a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) to a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant, working with animals is more than a way to earn a paycheck - it's also about doing work that can make a positive impact on patients and their humans. Veterinary practices, whether corporate or private, that employ trained and credentialed veterinary technicians can build a team that is not only devoted to their work, but confident in their ability to effectively do that work. Even better, that confidence and passion for what they do can have a positive impact on the practice's gross revenue. While these profits may not be the most important motivator to veterinarians and veterinary technicians, it does ensure that the practice can grow, develop, and maintain a high standard of quality patient care.

The pace of change in the modern workplace means that your employees must learn continuously.

While jobs are opening and remaining unfilled in industries as diverse as manufacturing and retail, one industry is facing a unique epidemic: healthcare. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare industry is expected to grow 18% between 2016 to 2026, adding 2.4 million new jobs. This growth is projected to climb particularly in patient-facing roles that do not require extensive college credentials.

Imagine a future in which employers focus more on skills competencies than on degrees when hiring new employees. While in some industries, that future may be far off, for middle-skills industries that are hit the hardest by the skills gap -- industries like allied health, manufacturing, the trades, and tech -- this new way of measuring candidate readiness might just be the solution they're looking for.