Employers can find workers with retraining
The latest Department of Labor jobs report for July once again has great news for workers, but bad news for employers: America has more open jobs (about 6.7 million) than it has unemployed workers to fill them (6.3 million). This type of labor market can make the business community nervous, but employers have options — including doing their part to grow the American workforce.
I am not talking about workforce growth through birth rates or immigration policies; I am talking about increasing it through the kind of skills training that can bring the long-term unemployed population back into the labor market. America is not actually short on workers — we are short on skilled workers and those who are actively looking for work. If employers encourage and welcome some key groups back into the “actively looking” category, they will once again have a labor market that is on their side.
Americans who have dropped out — for reasons ranging from job loss to child rearing to military service — can face discrimination. They may be demoralized, and they may lack the specific skills employers are looking for. Those who have recently entered the workforce (new high school or college graduates) can experience similar barriers. All of these can be overcome through strategic, relevant and continuing workforce training.
Workers who lost their jobs during the recession and have given up trying to find a job can be an important untapped resource. The same is true of veterans, older workers and women or other caregivers who are re-entering the workforce after time away.
There is encouraging evidence that the business community, and leaders in government, have already begun to engage in this task of growing the workforce through more intentional skills training. In July, a group of employers (including FedEx, General Motors, Home Depot, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Walmart) gathered at the White House to sign a pledge to train almost 4 million workers by expanding apprenticeship programs, increasing on-the-job training, and educating both students and workers throughout their careers.
On that day, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the National Council for the American Worker — a group of Cabinet members and senior White House officials who are now developing a strategy for skills training.
It is encouraging to see these collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. On the employer side, apprenticeship and return-towork programs are beginning to look like a growing trend.
In the education sector, there is interesting potential in high school programs that partner with local employers to offer on-the-job-training, for high school credit, to students. Work-based learning opportunities are seen as a key to success by ensuring readiness for this young adult population.
Strategic workforce training is the rare solution that receives enthusiastic support from all sectors and both major political parties. This creates an opportunity ripe for innovation and bold action. Employers who are anxious about the latest labor report should not worry; they should reach out, welcome back, and train forward.