The Penn Foster Blog

Smart business leaders know that employee training should do more than help workers be effective today. It should prepare them for the work they will be asked to do in the future. There’s just one problem. No one really knows what the future will bring. In this uncertain environment, how can employee training and development future proof your workforce?

The manufacturing industry continues to gain rapid momentum throughout the United States. According to research jointly conducted by Deloitte and the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), over the next five years more than 50% of manufacturers plan to enter a new market, and almost all plan to expand existing sites or open new facilities in countries with existing operations.

Learner support should be a key element of your employee development planning. The right support at the right time can help working learners finish what they start, which results in more qualified employees for your business. To make sure all employees get the help they need, choose a training partner who offers wrap-around support throughout the learning process.

Whether you call it burnout, brownout, or compassion fatigue the extreme stress faced by veterinary healthcare teams is a serious problem. When Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians burn out, both the team and the patients suffer. In some cases, experienced veterinary care providers and support staff may even leave the profession entirely. However, with the right strategies, your team can avoid falling victim to these mental and emotional stressors.

Requiring job applicants to have college degrees might be artificially constricting your talent pipeline. Thousands of competent employees have never earned a college degree. By adjusting job posting requirements, you can tap into a broader talent pool to fill gaps in your workforce, then train them to meet the demands of the job.

You provide high quality care to pets and exemplary service to clients. So, why aren’t your veterinary practice sales growing? Many veterinarians find themselves overworked and overwhelmed without the profit to show for it. Many are looking for a solution that will support financial success without putting them at risk for burnout. One of the best ways to drive veterinary practice sales is to fully utilize each member of the healthcare team. “The more people work at the top of their license the more revenue you can generate,” said Douglas Carlson, Senior Director Veterinary Health Education at Penn Foster.

Your business offers paid apprenticeships with the goal of training workers to fill open jobs. You know that apprenticeship jobs are particularly well-suited for closing skills gaps, because they allow you to hire curious, motivated employees and then train them to meet your needs. If this sounds like a win-win scenario, that’s because it is.

At the 92nd annual Western Veterinary Conference, a record number of veterinary professionals met in Las Vegas, Nevada to focus on growth and knowledge. Over the course of the conference, one thing became clear - many practices are struggling with the same issues: a crowded market and difficulty attracting new talent and clients. For practice managers, who are often held directly responsible for the success or failure of a clinic, finding a solution to improve retention rates, while also increasing practice revenue is a must. The key? Effective marketing.

Training veterinary technicians should be a top priority for your veterinary clinic or hospital. With the right training, they can improve efficiency, elevate patient care, and help create strong relationships between clients and the practice. Dr. Jim Hurrell, Penn Foster’s Veterinary Technician Program Director Emeritus, suggests five best practices for training your staff.

It’s a well-known fact in the healthcare industry that few hospitals have all the medical assistants they need to meet staffing demands. The industry is changing, and recruitment and training haven’t caught up yet to new expectations. However, for hospitals to remain viable, they must embrace the rise of the medical assistant role.