Des Sinkevich

Mike Lewis, entrepreneur and author, recently collaborated with Penn Foster Education in an informative and motivational webinar titled "Make Your Jump." Lewis, a graduate of Dartmouth, left a prestigious job at a venture capital firm to pursue his passion-playing squash professionally. He teamed up with a panel of diverse Penn Foster students to share their stories and speak to the barriers that often hold them back from tackling their career goals. Though the insights gleaned from the conversation between Lewis and Penn Foster students Rocco, Brittney, and Kathy encourage other students and peers to make the jump toward the career they want, there are a few key takeaways that can inform the way employers approach career development for their employees. 

In the retail industry, it can be difficult to find and retain reliable employees who have a developed set of soft skills. Whether hires simply don't work out or leave to look for different career opportunities, low retention rates make finding strong leaders you trust to run the day-to-day operations of your business nearly impossible. One solution to boost retention rates and prepare your employees to take on leadership roles is investing in comprehensive soft skills training. 

Innovation and adaptability keep the world of industry constantly moving forward, expanding business opportunities, offering more jobs, and nurturing a growing global economy. Advances in technology over the last few decades, however, have simultaneously created new jobs while rendering many other positions obsolete. Worry over automation and artificial intelligence replacing low and middle-skilled work has troubled a workforce that has been historically confident in their job security. But the digitalization of formerly analog positions is only the most recent "revolution" in a series of changes over the last several hundred years. For businesses looking to retain loyal employees and become competitive in hiring, embracing change and implementing comprehensive training programs is essential.

Veterinary medicine has long been a thriving industry. Every pet owner wants to ensure their animal companion is at peak health. Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians study long and hard to learn how to properly diagnose and treat our furry friends. They're very obviously vital to a thriving veterinary practice. But just as necessary is the Veterinary Practice Manager, the person who can confidently and efficiently run a practice. We spoke with Dr. James Hurrell (more commonly known as Dr. Jim to the students and staff at Penn Foster), an expert in veterinary medicine, to learn more about why veterinary practices need managers who aren't the practice owner and how Penn Foster's new Veterinary Practice Management Undergraduate Certificate can help grow a strong practice.

Pursuing higher education is often times considered to be a necessary path for attaining and maintaining a satisfying and sustainable career. Following the script of the American Dream - the idea that any hard working, ambitious individual can pursue and achieve their career goals - students matriculate to a university or college near them very soon after completing their high school diploma.

Since 2015, Church's Chicken's Stride for Success program, offered through a collaboration with Penn Foster, has enabled employees to earn their high school diploma online, providing a path toward advancement and career success. By allowing employees the opportunity to complete their high school diploma requirements, Church's Chicken provides a clearly marked path to a stable future with the company. Not only assisting employees in reaching their goals, Stride for Success and similar corporate learning programs empower those enrolled and can ease the burden of the high turnover rates the food industry is known for.

In-depth employee training and education is necessary for almost every industry. Well-trained employees will benefit your company long-term by being confident and skilled in their positions. Employees who are confident in their level of training and skill, who know that they are working toward a fulfilling career with opportunity for growth, are more likely to stay. Lower turnover rates can improve productivity, productivity, and product quality. Offering comprehensive training courses to your employees can translate into more profit in the long term and a more positive workforce in the immediate future.

The retail industry in the United States has, historically, had a higher than average turnover rate. Hourly store employees have the highest turnover rate at 65%, according to a survey from the Hay Group division of Korn Ferry. Considering these lower retention rates, hiring or promoting an employee to supervisor can be a frustrating, slow process for employers. However, if you hire supervisors with the right skill set, you may be able to drastically reduce these turnover rates, for both your supervisors and the employees they oversee.