| A perfect storm is brewing, setting us up for a | | | | writing, math and communication skills is not an area |
| workforce that will be ill-prepared for the jobs of today | | | | where many companies are willing to invest. Often |
| and the future. Young people are graduating from high | | | | there is a detailed applicant screening process to |
| school, and even college, lacking basic skills required for | | | | make sure those basic skills are already in place |
| success on the job. Companies have ever-increasing | | | | before an offer is made. |
| needs for basic, applied and specialized skills to | | | | So what can be done about this gap? New workers |
| compete effectively. And employers are becoming | | | | need to come to a job already prepared with basic |
| less and less willing to provide on-the-job training. | | | | skills like math, reading and retention as well as applied |
| These three factors are leading to a substantial gap | | | | skills necessary for the particular position. If a job |
| between company needs and the preparedness of | | | | seeker is lacking in those skills they must focus on |
| workers, with employers not necessarily willing to | | | | getting the training on their own, and not rely on a new |
| bridge the gap. | | | | potential employer training them. The idea of just |
| A recent study1 examining corporate training practices | | | | getting a job and having the employer teach whatever |
| found almost half of the employers surveyed provide | | | | is needed is not realistic. |
| workforce readiness training for new hires, but with | | | | The business and job-hunting environments are |
| less than stellar results. These remedial training | | | | extremely competitive. New hires must be as |
| programs are designed to build skills that employers | | | | prepared as possible to start and be effective |
| expect new employees to have when they are hired, | | | | immediately, with a minimal learning curve. |
| especially as high school, two-year college and | | | | 1 The Ill-Prepared U.S. Workforce: Exploring the |
| four-year college graduates. According to the study, | | | | Challenges of Employer-Provided Workforce |
| employers consider these training programs to be | | | | Readiness Training, 2008, The American Society for |
| “moderately” or “somewhat successful” in | | | | Training and Development, The Conference Board, |
| the best-case scenario, and they have no grasp on | | | | Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the |
| what is spent to prepare a new hire for work. | | | | Society for Human Resource Management. |
| While companies are still willing to provide training for | | | | This article may be reprinted when the copyright and |
| their workers, some are strictly focused on leadership | | | | author bio are included. |
| and higher-level skills that can lead to career | | | | ©2009 Kristen Harris, Portfolio Creative, LLC. |
| advancement. Bringing new hires up to speed on basic | | | | |