The Penn Foster Blog

Make no mistake, the skills gap is real. Ask anyone trying to fill jobs in the manufacturing industry. The pace of technological change means that many people misunderstand the skills that are needed, and some who have them don't see manufacturing as a viable option.

Retail isn’t the only place where great customer service skills are essential. Businesses in almost every industry can benefit from helping employees build customer service skills.

When you select a training and education program for your staff, you're looking for more than ways to upskill employees. You're looking for a training partner who can help you realize a positive return on investment for your efforts.

Apprenticeships have almost reached the status of a buzzword in the discussion over how to close the skills gap. State Senators are introducing bills to make apprenticeships more accessible to high school students. Meanwhile, officials in Maryland are expanding a high school apprenticeship program that started in two counties out to the rest of the state.

Meeting the challenge of recruiting, developing and upskilling talent for today's most difficult to fill occupations takes strong partnerships and a willingness to share knowledge. By giving people more access to flexible educational opportunities, businesses and education partners help learners build better lives, improve career mobility, and empower them to follow their dreams. The end result is more graduates, increased skill attainment, higher enrollments, and some well deserved recognition for a job innovatively done.

An open job posting presents a real challenge for your business. Not only does hiring a new employee cost money, but the skills gap means that finding skilled and qualified employees is difficult. Some companies address this challenge by hiring from within. This strategy brings several benefits as long as your employees are ready for a promotion.

The media loves to talk about how big name companies like Target, Chipotle and Starbucks offer education benefits to their employees. In May, Walmart announced a $1 a day college tuition plan that set off a wave of media speculation. An astute observer will realize that these businesses have a bigger motivation than just looking good in the press.

There's more to Kansas City than its out-of-this-world BBQ, no matter how much you might be made to believe otherwise. If you absolutely must indulge while you're visiting, Jack Stack, Joe's or Q39 are the places to go. But the mouth-watering hometown delicacy is not the reason I traveled to Kansas City in the first place.

In almost every industry, for almost every business, finding qualified middle-skills candidates to fill open jobs is difficult. The low unemployment rate isn't helping. Jobs are harder to fill and keeping existing employees is more important than ever. Meanwhile, rapid changes in technology and the development of new ways of doing business, mean that even existing employees may not have the right skill sets.