The Penn Foster Blog

As we navigate a rapidly changing economy, focusing on workforce development, upskilling, and outskilling is imperative to strengthening your workforce and preparing displaced workers to play a role in a new industry. A tuition assistance program or tailored employee training program is a vital first step toward building a workforce that will support your business well into the future. While education programs and outskilling initiatives might not make your business immune to the skills gap and other pressing market challenges, they will go a long way toward making sure you always have the middle skills workforce your business needs while maintaining a positive relationship with former employees that can boost your company’s image.

When clients bring their pets to veterinary appointments, they expect more than a checkup. They want veterinary technicians and other team members to advise them on how to care for their pets. To consistently provide the most up-to-date recommendations, everyone on the healthcare team needs continuing education and credentialing.

In a recent study of global talent deficit, Korn Ferry and Man Bites Dog consulting groups collaborated with Oxford Analytica to produce an economic model that would outline future labor supply and demand at impending milestones, particularly highlighting the years 2025 and 2030 in their findings. What their research uncovered is that three distinct economic markets are significantly threatened by a growing shortage of trained workers- financial and business services, media and telecommunications, and manufacturing.

The lines between education and employment are blurring. With the tight talent market and increasing speed of change in business, employers can no longer just hope that colleges will teach future employees relevant skills. They must take matters into their own hands. Many are building partnerships with education providers to train workforces directly and employer-assisted education is becoming a part of the standard benefits package.

Veterinary medicine is currently a $45.9 billion dollar industry and that number is only expected to grow over the next decade. As more pet owners consider their animals to be an essential part of the family, they’re focusing on securing high quality veterinary care. In order to provide that, your veterinary practice should be aware of the challenges the industry could face, as well as commonly shared goals in the field. We surveyed 80 practice managers and practice owners to better understand the state of the industry in 2020 and what needs practices have to grow their client list, improve both employee and client retention, and more. Here’s what we learned.

When we talk about employee upskilling, one topic comes up again and again: microcredentials. Many in the training and development industry seem to agree that microcredentials are a good idea. In fact, Penn Foster, in partnership with Credly, the industry-standard digital credential platform has already issued nearly 2,000 microcredentials in the form of badges.

Today, companion animals are considered members of the family,and veterinary practices are vital to maintaining the health and happiness of the pets we love. As the world settles into the “new normal” in response to the COVID-19 crisis, essential businesses like vet clinics and hospitals are working ceaselessly to establish a balance between providing customers and clients with service and keeping employees safe. As veterinary healthcare is already a high-stress field for employees, implementing safety measures and following state and federal guidelines isn’t only beneficial for employee mental and physical health - it’s vital to ensuring your practice weathers this unprecedented global event.

Manufacturing executives continue to voice concerns regarding critical talent shortages faced by leaders in today’s industry. Latest surveys by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute reveal an unprecedented majority of experts in agreement - we are facing a talent crisis in the US manufacturing sector. Leaders in education and upskilling suggest this distress on the workforce is the result of automation’s inevitable impact on employee workflow. Put simply- manufacturing jobs increasingly involve digital skills, and current employees accustomed to steadily obsolete manufacturing roles are not being sufficiently trained to work within this new, tech-centric environment.

Most people understand that good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist can improve their overall health and well-being. They make getting their teeth professionally cleaned a part of their family’s healthcare routine. Yet, even people who count their pets as part of the family usually don’t think to bring their pet to a veterinary dentist unless there’s an emergency.

Corporate responsibility is no short-lived trend. In fact, it’s only grown momentum over the last five years as more corporations, investors, and consumers make spending decisions based on company values. The impact a company has on its community, workers, and the world at large also informs financial success.