The Penn Foster Blog

The solar power industry is booming. Although legislative challenges still exist, the overall trajectory of the solar power industry is upward. Any company involved in residential or commercial electrical services or any power-related service should be keeping a sharp eye on this emergent industry.

U.S. companies spent more than $7.5 billion on outside products and services for employee training in 2017, according to the 2017 Training Industry Report. And for good reason, training improves retention, drives productivity,  and closes skills gaps.

5 Key Insights on the Future of the Labor Market

The past couple of months have been a whirlwind for education, edtech, and workforce development, but one story has become increasingly prevalent: More and more companies have continued to invest in employee training, development, and education.

The time to train front line supervisors is now. In a piece published by Industry Today, Penn Foster's Head of Skilled Trades Division, Collin Gutman, explains the crucial need for front line supervisor training. While often selected to supervisor positions given their success as front line employees, Gutman shares how the skills needed by front line employee to supervisor aren't always aligned, making the transition both "bumpy and jarring." 

I recently had the pleasure of travelling to beautiful New London, N.C. to watch 100 young adults, varying in age from 17 to 19, walk proudly across a stage in front of an audience of friends and family as they received their certificate of graduation from Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy " New London. Penn Foster partners with Tarheel ChalleNGe to offer an accredited high school diploma through the program; I was invited to the ceremony to help celebrate the achievements of the 22 students in the class who were also receiving their Penn Foster High School Diploma.

The time has come to serve the middle skilled workforce in the United States. In an interview with Todd Hand of Boston Search Group, Penn Foster CEO Frank Britt explains the recent trends and future outlook for the workforce development industry. Highlighting the importance of upskilling and investing in the middle skilled, or "gray collar," cohort of workers, Britt's interview focuses on how organizations are finally becoming aware of this need for workforce development.

How to Work Together to Encourage " and Better Train " Workers Sitting on the Side Lines of a Full Employment Economy

As technology continues to evolve at an incredibly fast rate, the role of staffing firms has changed with it. The average worker is finding it more and more difficult to stay current with the necessary skills to succeed in a labor market that's requiring more of them each and every day, and the result is a growing skills gap. As that gap widens, the role of staffing firms has become more important than ever. No longer are staffing firms able to simply play matchmaker between an employer and a prospective hire; in order to remain competitive, they must be able to cultivate highly qualified candidates and successfully find homes for them with the right organizations at the right time.