LinkedIn’s Workforce Report indicated January 2018 was the strongest month for hiring since last May 2017. Though these indications should make it a great time to be in the job market, the contrary can be the reality, as the skills gap makes it tough for companies to hire qualified employees.
This “condition” describes when a particular supply of workers lack the abilities and skills to meet the demand for hiring.
The skills gap is nothing new. Economic experts have called attention to the skills gap for years, without much success toward abatement. Perhaps, as an employer, you are encountering a skills gap in your hiring attempts.
Former Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, says the workforce needs to prepare for 21st -century jobs. What can you do as an employer or business owner not only to reduce the skills gap but to find and fill vacancies with qualified workers?
- Encourage potential employees from outside your area with relocation incentives.
- Support recruiting and training programs in high schools, as well as technology, and vocational schools.
- Offer training programs to current employees who show interest in and aptitude for jobs you are trying to fill.
- Visit job fairs at colleges whose graduates will best fill your open positions.
- Engage a staffing firm to help recruit and onboard qualified
- Screen applicants specifically for aptitude then train those individuals for open positions.
- Offer a period of mentorship or internship as an incentive for a growth position.
As an employer, you may need to choose whether to offer training for specific positions or to engage a strategy for workforce development.
While there is an overlap between the two, workforce development also includes a variety of soft skills such as improvement in communication skills.
Development should include an interconnected set of elements to meet employment needs. It entails a set of solutions and coaching enabling individuals to acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes that not only contribute to excellence in work performance but also promote a growth environment for life. The aim is to build well-rounded individuals not just educate an employee how to do a job.
About Lingo Staffing
Lingo is a full-service staffing firm dedicated to providing top quality services to its clients and its candidate pool. With extensive knowledge and experience in light industrial, administrative, and professional employment, Lingo encompasses the capabilities and resources necessary to help you get ahead.
Our experience and commitment to client satisfaction makes us the perfect choice to manage all of your staffing needs. Our staff guarantees exceptional customer service with an expedient response time.
Our experts are located at an office near you: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Lingo, the language of On Demand solutions. Contact us at an office convenient to you.