The Penn Foster Blog

With the advent of increased automation and high-tech manufacturing tools, revolutionary ways of doing work have begun to bridge the collegiate and blue collar divide. Plant managers and manufacturing business owners need workers with specific skills to fill integral positions. Consequently, employers are becoming increasingly focused on training their current staff to fill these roles and urging candidates to take courses that certify them for modern, tech-heavy work. 

Blended learning is the combination of traditional classroom education and digital elements, such as interactive applications on a laptop or online homework and reading. Many schools are embracing technology to promote learning. One area where technology performs particularly well is improving English language learner and low-income student outcomes.

We know that in order to fill the skills gap, a fundamental paradigm shift needs to occur across the workforce development marketplace. Instead of a well-oiled machine working to train job seekers, our current system is fragmented and lagging. But how do we get buy-in from all stakeholders to participate in working towards a new solution? How can we foster local employment market opportunities and fill specific sector needs?

Millennials now make up more than one-third of the workforce in the United States, surpassing both the baby boomers and generation X.1 Millennials are like no generation before them, and they are playing a pivotal role in reshaping the workplace environment and expectations. One major benefit that millennials are looking for from their employers is continuous training and development.

Penn Foster is happy to be returning to the 2017 NSBA Annual Convention and Exposition for another year. Held from March 26th - 27th in Denver, CO, this national event brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future of the American learner.

For many, the industry most-associated with the term "skills gap" remains manufacturing in the United States. The story of the decline of US manufacturing has been relayed many times over the past few decades; in 2016, CNN Money stated that 5 million manufacturing jobs had been lost since 2000.1 But the reality is that the industry is facing a resurgence. Many look to modern training programs as enablers of new growth within the industry's skilled workforce. But how have these learning and development options actually evolved? How can the lessons learned about training in the manufacturing industry be applied to other markets in the economy?

More than 95 percent of American colleges enrolled students who required remedial course work in the 2014-2015 academic year, according to a recent Hechinger Report. And, of the students that took remedial courses while enrolled in a two- or four-year college, 30 percent did not complete their degree.

Low-income and low-opportunity high school students have reached a 74.6 percent graduation rate. These steady improvements are a step in the right direction, as targeted interventions help at-risk demographics to achieve their goals. However, their post-secondary education pathway is often challenging. High schools need to put resources in place to show low-income students feasible options for their post-graduation learning.

 

Across a multitude of industries, employers have been struggling to find " and retain " quality talent. However, the root of this issue is highly contested. While some critics challenge the very existence of it, 92% of executives agree that there is a skills gap in the U.S. workforce, resulting in companies' inability to adequately fill their workforce.1 Where does this problem stem from? There are many factors working together that have led to the skills shortage, and we'll explore several of them in the article below.