combating the technical skills gap

Combating the Technical Skills GapDestin Sisemore, Gabrielle Gennaci, Grant Senne

Defining the Gap

“Despite an abundance of workers, too many simply aren’t qualified to fill the jobs available.” (Philips)

By the Numbers

- 13 million Americans are unemployed- 90 million+ undereducated/unprepared for current

workforce demands- The U.S. Department of Labor predicts a shortage of

more than 35 million skilled and educated workers over the next 30 years

- By 2020: ⅔ of all new jobs will require a postsecondary education (APSCU)

of Chief Academic Officersbelieve their college graduates are ready forthe workforce

of business leaders “strongly agree”

96%

%11only

MOBILE DEVELOPMENT

EXCEL

RUBY

SQL

TROUBLESHOOTING

UI/UX

JAVA

WORD PROCESSING

QUALITY ASSURANCE

STATISTICS

WEB DESIGN

CYBERSECURITY

AV SETUP

MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING

DATABASE MANAGEMENT

WORDPRESS

“Our economy is making an unprecedented transition into high-skilled, information-based industries. This has created a disconnect between the jobs that are being created and the current skills of many workers.”

Solutions from the Private Sector

For-Profit Education

For-Profit Education

- Similar to a post-baccalaureate degree for technology careers

- Employment guarantees- Pricing structures attempt to increase

access- Regardless: Still expensive, difficult, highly

selective

“...engineering isn’t just for engineers. Interior design. Medicine. Architecture. Music. No matter what a girl dreams of doing, learning how to code will help her get there.”

[ Approach: Corporate Philanthropy ]

$50m

[ Approach: Policy Recommendations ]

Businesses

- Tell students and educators which jobs will be in demand

- Expand internship and mentorship opportunities

- Invest in startups- Invest in employee

development

Government

- Pool money, invest in workforce development on the regional level

- Provide tax incentives and grants for adult skills development

- Create “degree equivalent” credentialing

Motive?- Future workforce- Investment in diversity

Solutions from the Public Sector

Talent developmentTalent recognition

Nonprofit Solutions

Education Adjustments

Alternative Education- Charter Schools - Community Colleges

Brown’s Strategic Plan

References Clerkin, Kris. "Three Ways to Fix the Workforce Readiness Gap Revealed by the Gallup/Lumina Survey of Employers." College for America. N.p., n.d. Web.

Didem Tüzemen, Didem, and Jonathan Willis. The Vanishing Middle: Job Polarization and Workers’ Response to the Decline in Middle-Skill Jobs(n.d.): n. pag. Www.kansascityfed.org. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Web.

Lowensohn, Josh. "Google Investing $50 Million to Get Girls to Code." The Verge. N.p., 19 June 2014. Web.

Microsoft. 2014. “Building a 21st-Century Workforce Working Together to Meet Today’s Skills Development Challenges.” Microsoft Policy Brief.

Paxson, Christina. Building on Distinction: A New Plan for Brown. Rep. Providence: Brown U, 2013. Print.

Philips, Matthew. "It's Not a Skills Gap: U.S. Workers Are Overqualified, Undertrained." Www.businessweek.com. Bloomberg Businessweek, 19 Aug. 2014. Web.

"Report on the American Workforce." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web.

"Skills Gap." Www.career.org. Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, n.d. Web.

"The Big Data Skills Gap: Are Schools Preparing Students for a Data-Driven Workplace." BI Software Insight. N.p., n.d. Web.\