Understanding the Challenges | Dynamic Partnerships for a New Economy

Time 2020-10-07 14:04:18

Web Name: Understanding the Challenges | Dynamic Partnerships for a New Economy

WebSite: http://www.skilledtradesplaybook.org

ID:73548

Keywords:

Challenges,Dynamic,Understanding,

Description:

Skilled Trades Playbook:Dynamic Partnerships For a New Economy A Playbook for How Businesses and Community Colleges Can Work Together to Find, Train and Place Workers in the Skilled Trades WelcomeLearn about partnerships that can benefit everybody: from local business owners, to individuals looking for work, to community colleges, to our economy. Understanding the ChallengesIt’s time to better align education and training to job opportunities—and the responsibility to do this belongs to everyone: businesses, community colleges and individuals alike. But each group is facing real challenges, some of which are outlined below.To meet these challenges, businesses have to decide to get involved in training, community colleges have to know what skills are valued by industries looking to hire, and individual students must have access to information allowing them to make informed career decisions. Finding Workers with Skills that Match Their Needs While there is some dispute about the existence or depth of a skills gap, many businesses report difficulty finding workers with the needed skill sets for jobs in their industry. The situation can differ by geographic region, by industry sector and by labor market. In the skilled trades specifically the problem may only get worse as time goes on, since a significant percentage of the workforce is approaching retirement age, and the education and workforce systems may not be prepared to address the looming openings when current workers leave their jobs. Many business leaders say that part of the challenge in finding trained workers comes from the negative perceptions or misperceptions of the skilled trades industry, with people picturing skilled trade jobs as they looked 40 or 50 years ago.Source: Leadership Wanted: U.S. Public Opinions on Manufacturing, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute Partnerships can help solve this talent mismatch by developing a new pipeline for future workers as the older ones retire, and shifting the perception of skilled trades careers. Partnerships with industry will help community colleges rise to the challenge of preparing a workforce for the 21st Century Walter Bumphus, President, AmericanAssociation of Community Colleges Right now, many community colleges are not teaching the skills that are valued and required by local employers. Part of the challenge is that it is sometimes difficult for community colleges to easily obtain and keep up-to-date with businesses changing skill needs. There also can be cultural differences between how businesses and community colleges operate. We often don’t know where jobs are, and what skills are required to be successful in those jobs. Conversation needs to happen to ensure students are trained on the right tools and right skills sets. Bryan Albrecht, President,Gateway Technical College The challenge is how to ensure community colleges are keeping up-to-date with real-time information about what training is needed or the latest equipment being used, allowing the schools to develop students with academic, technical and professional skills. Some of that training will be in STEM disciplines, where skilled trades businesses are saying they can’t find workers with the math and technological knowledge needed in today’s advanced manufacturing careers. While community colleges can have different goals, many are eager to partner with businesses to gain a better understanding of what training is needed to ensure their students can get a job when they leave school. I made up my mind that I had to do something… I went to a four year school, and that was supposed to be it… It was about shifting my attitude and realizing that there are other opportunities. Michael Johnston Joliet Junior College graduateGrainger Tools for Tomorrow® scholarship program recipient We are asking the students to play venture capitalists… I don’t think we want students in that situation. Peter Cappelli, George W. Taylor Professor of Management and Director, Center for Human Resources, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania In an ever-changing hiring environment, many individuals are seeking to understand the skills, certifications and degrees that individual businesses and the industry value, or want opportunities to prove they are the most qualified applicant for an open position—but don’t know where to start. The good news is that as the economy continues to improve, there will be an increased demand in hiring, including in manufacturing and the skilled trades. But hiring patterns will be changing as well and it will be critical to have partnerships and systems in place that can produce workers with the right skills. The challenge is how to ensure community colleges are keeping up-to-date with real-time information about what training is needed or the latest equipment being used, allowing the schools to develop students with academic, technical and professional skills. Some of that training will be in STEM disciplines, where skilled trades businesses are saying they can’t find workers with the math and technological knowledge needed in today’s advanced manufacturing careers. While community colleges can have different goals, many are eager to partner with businesses to gain a better understanding of what training is needed to ensure their students can get a job when they leave school. Many businesses, especially those that rely on skilled trades workers, report difficulty finding qualified individuals to fill open jobs. We believe it’s time to meet this training challenge by creating partnerships that provide an opportunity to better align the skill needs of businesses with the education and training offered by community colleges. Unfortunately, many businesses and community colleges interested in such partnerships don’t know where to start. That’s why this playbook was created—as a tool for businesses, community colleges and anyone else trying to find out if this solution may make sense, showing how to get started building a partnership and the benefits that may result. It includes checklists and links to outside resources throughout this playbook that can be used either to have a conversation about beginning a partnership or guiding efforts to sustain an existing partnership. The ideas in this playbook in part grew out of a Partnerships in Practice event at the Aspen Institute in February 2013, where business leaders, community college presidents and academic experts discussed the reality and scope of the skills gap, the challenges they face, and how businesses and schools can work together to prepare the future and incumbent workforce. This was combined with real-world examples of local partnerships that are preparing skilled trades workers. In an increasingly competitive global economy, America’s economic strength depends on the education and skills of its workers. That’s why public-private partnerships are an issue of vital importance to Grainger and Skills for America’s Future. Grainger supports community college students who are preparing for jobs in the skilled trades across the country and Skills for America’s Future was founded to promote high-impact partnerships between community colleges and businesses. Together, Skills for America’s Future and Grainger are dedicated to strengthening the pipeline of skilled trades workers. Together, Skills for America’s Future and Grainger partnered to create this playbook to share resources and real-world examples to inspire industry and community colleges to work together to prepare the skilled trades workforce. This action-oriented resource will help more businesses and community colleges train the next generation of skilled workers. Please share your partnership stories, including what works, how you got started, how the partnership is sustained and the measurable outcomes on Grainger's Facebook or email us at saf@aspeninstitute.org. This playbook can help you begin a conversation and form partnerships to meet this training challenge. Read on to learn about the value of community college and business partnerships and how to get started!

TAGS:Challenges Dynamic Understanding 

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