Career Help Coach

Get The Skills – Get The Jobs

Yesterday I spent spent the afternoon with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development & Workforce Development folks. Discussed the looming skill shortage and steps to solve.

A key point of discussion centered around the real shortage of skilled workers.   In business circles  it seems  to be common knowledge that  here are jobs to be filled - but for many  - companies are unable to identify and attract people with the unique technical skills required to do the job.  The problem is -  all too often -  there is not a practical way to teach the skills required in an affordable or timely way to meet the immediate need.

The education and government bureaucratic systems recognize the problem but aren't nimble enough to help the both the job seekers to  learn whats 's needed - now.  Stories of unfilled quality manufacturing  postions are common because the required specialized  training is complicated and not available locally.

So a question worthy of more conversation is:   Should a comprehensive Workforce and Economic Development "System" take some libertiies and  focus - for example -  on specialized or unique market niches and adjust (bend) the rules to provide industry / company specific government training dollars to bring the necessary training expertise here - and get people hired?

Got an Opinion?

Please share it.

Tom Bodin
The Career Help Coach

Tom is an Executive Coach, the Managing Partner / President of OI Partners / Organizational Innovations, Inc. and founder of CareerSummit.com, – both headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.  He also chairs the Hennepin / Carver Workforce Investment Board -representing Minnesota's largest Workforce Service Area.