combating the technical skills gap
TRANSCRIPT
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.\