Workforce Development Programs Are in Overdrive
Date Posted: March 15, 2022
Posted In: Discussion, Workforce,
From Area Development: States have always competed for new development projects and expansions to broaden their tax base and create good-paying jobs for their workers. Incentive packages typically include free workforce recruitment, training, and other support, as long as the companies hit their investment and employment goals. However, the COVID-19 has disrupted the U.S. economy, resulting in the loss of nearly 20 million jobs and the closure and bankruptcy of thousands of companies, while other businesses turned to Industry 4.0, such as automation and robotics, and invested in the communication technologies required for remote work to stay in operation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt every business sector and driven many employees to retire or quit. This is especially hard on the manufacturing industry, where an enormous skills gap already exists. To create the most competitive labor pool, workforce development departments have brought technology to the forefront, especially for recruitment, training, and “upskilling” to different positions, or even entry into completely different industries. Some workforce development programs like Georgia Quick Start, LED FastStart, and AIDT have been around for years. But state workforce development departments — as well as private organizations — across the nation are now being even more creative and proactive in advancing the skills of workers to help them build rewarding careers in these challenging times.
Rapid Response Teams
In light of the economic losses caused by the pandemic, Alabama’s Rapid Response Team moves quickly to assist companies and employees that have been negatively impacted by staff reductions or reduced operations. Team members visit with upper management and employees on-site to provide advice on unemployment compensation, pension benefits, health insurance, and other job-seeking concerns, including training and upskilling to new positions.
New Hampshire’s NH Works is a similar program that delivers early intervention re-employment services as quickly as possible, at no cost to the businesses or employees who are suffering from layoffs and/or closings. The rapid-response team helps individuals design a plan for re-employment, including coursework and upskilling, and advises them on state and federal programs that can assist them during their transition.
Customized Talent Pipelines
Launched in 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) program is active in 37 states. TPM helps companies build scalable, sustainable pipelines of skilled workers for their industries and collaborate with their educational/training partners on developing curriculum. “The TPM approach builds external pipelines — adequately preparing talent that has yet to walk through the door—as well as long-term strategies for backfilling, upskilling, career pathway development, and succession planning,” states the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.