The transition period we find ourselves in right now is full of both challenges and opportunities. Reskilling employees and candidates is a clear opportunity that I find fascinating. According to a 2017 McKinsey report, almost 25% of the workforce will need to be re-skilled in the next decade. Their latest report is “The future of work after Covid-19”. It highlights the pandemic accelerated changes that increase that estimate by 25%. The full report runs to 152 pages. However, the overview article has some good information that helps confirm what many of us were already suspecting. There is going to be a profound workforce sea change. Today I am sharing some resources I found helpful and interesting. I hope you do too.
Is There a Training Gap?
“Talent Management is the New Training Model” from trainingindustry.com talks about the organizational shift that has occurred to the idea of “Talent.” This article argues for an end to HR and L&D silos as a necessity in the current workforce environment.
Professor Scott Latham is on CGS’ blog in Q + A With Scott Latham: Revolutionizing Learning and Development for the Age of Automation. This interview includes new data from the 2020 CGS Emerging Workplace Learning Trends Survey. Dr. Latham’s unique advice on navigating education and workforce change includes the idea of “new collar jobs.” These are jobs that need particular training and skills not found currently in higher education programs.
Is Agile An Answer?
Not too long ago, Agile was the newest business buzzword/process. As we move forward into this transition period, it looks like agile processes and companies who adopt them will have an edge. What do you think? Buzzword or valuable approach?
Jeanne Schad is the Talent Solutions & Strategy Practice Lead at Randstad RiseSmart. Her podcast on HCI (Human Capital Institute) is on 6 New Approaches to Foster an Agile Workforce in 2021. This is a good overview of one option companies are exploring – internal talent mobility.
McKinsey again for a highlight of “The 5 trademarks of agile organizations.” The goal is to transform our organizational viewpoints from a mechanistic hierarchy to more of a living organism. Favorite quote:
“Agile organizations maintain a stable top-level structure, but replace much of the remaining traditional hierarchy with a flexible, scalable network of teams.”
The Great Re-Skill – What Would it Take?
The needed up and re-skilling of today’s is a much bigger lift than an individual corporation can handle. What will it take to do?
From Harvard Business Review “What Would It Take to Reskill Entire Industries?”. Some heartening examples of public and private partnerships that have already formed. And a fascinating new/old idea – single sector skills councils – sort of like guilds. The main message is that sustained, coordinated effort is needed.
Nicholas Wyman on HR Morning shares his solid advice on forming or joining an already active apprenticeship opportunity. Don’t go it alone, and don’t start from scratch. There are also federal training dollars to take advantage of. Includes a link to apprenticeship.gov so you can see what industry partnerships are already on offer.
