UNDERSTANDING THE SKILLS GAP

“UNEMPLOYMENT’S IS HIGH, but I still can’t find the workers I need!” Sound familiar? It’s the skills gap, the gap between what employers need and what job seekers possess. Employers must identify and signal the skills they need, as well as develop mechanisms to recruit, train, and retain employees to maintain a healthy workforce. Here are some ideas for enhancing your understanding of this important issue.

Understanding the gap

The skills gap is a complex issue, with lots of disagreement about causes and solutions. Here are some factors experts have identified: • Not enough of the right graduates. For in-demand jobs in health care, engineering, computer science, and advanced manufacturing, there aren’t enough people being trained.

• Poor yields from automated job match programs. Some employers fill job ads with a list of ideal requirements most applicants won’t meet, resulting in low match rates and few potential candidates.

• Reluctance to provide training. Many employers would prefer that job seekers and employees provide all their own training, but this is increasingly unrealistic.

• Inadequate compensation. Some organizations can’t find candidates because the pay they offer, especially for in-demand jobs, is not competitive with other employers in their area.

Employers must identify and signal the skills they need, as well as develop mechanisms to recruit, train, and retain employees to maintain a healthy workforce.

• The growing need for soft skills. Many new graduates, while tech-savvy, lack basic communication skills and other critical soft skills.

Learn more

Want to learn more about this issue? Several Business Center tools provide related information such as the “Available Workforce Tool” and the “Compare Occupations Tool” is located at http://www.careeronestop. org/businesscenter/.

Need help finding workers with the right skills? Connect with your Business Services Representative at the One Stop Career Center at 928-329-0990.

Information obtained from http://www.careeronestop.org/ businesscenter/