Happy Holidays!

Found this pic in a BBC photo caption contest. The caption - "26 December, Job Centre"

Workforce Development & Healthcare

On November 14th, the Institute of Politics convened a group to discuss the workforce development challenges facing the healthcare industry. The speakers made many interesting points. Many speakers emphasized the fact that workforce availability and quality impacts quality of care. There were also numerous remarks about the the skill shortages that exist across a broad range of occupations. (Workfore shortages go far beyond just nursing.) Many speakers also commented on the need for early and continuous career education. Finally, the need for collaboration across divergent groups is essential. No singular institution is going to fix the problem. Of course, being a researcher -- I walked away from the event with more questions. Any answers out there?

1. Nancy Zionts’ remarks emphasized the connection between workforce development and quality of care. If quality of care is the ultimate goal – which workforce development strategies are the most effective?
2. Most of the panelists focused on building the pipeline of future workers. However, the PA Workforce Investment Board and numerous national groups have identified constraints in the educational pipeline such as a lack of faculty and clinical sites. How can the region overcome these pipeline problems?
3. Jill Clements remarks briefly mentioned the impact of regulation on the healthcare industry. Credentialing, regulation and reimbursement policies have a major impact on the sector and the workforce. What do legislators need to know about how these regulations impact workforce quality and availability?
4. Kathy Malloy and Jay Cannon mentioned the challenges of keeping pace with the rapidly changing educational requirements of the healthcare industry. One innovation that is reshaping the industry is the movement towards electronic health records. How does this innovation increase skill requirements for the workforce? Are our educational institutions prepared to meet this challenge?
5. Steve Herzenberg discussed the need for a collaborative approach to workforce development. Are the region’s healthcare providers working collaboratively towards addressing workforce challenges or is it still a “go-it-alone” strategy?

Manufacturers Bemoan "Dearth of Career Counseling"

Yet another report (this one by NAM, the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte Consulting) reports that a strong majority (83 percent) of manufacturers are struggling to serve customers because there are not enough qualified workers. Read more here. Part of the problem is the image of manufacturing but skills are also in short supply. The NAM survey cited "significant dissatisfaction among manufacturers with the quality of kindergarten-to-grade 12 education and the dearth of adequate career counseling." A NAM representative summarized the challenge, "We must update the image of modern manufacturing in the minds of young people, their parents and educators, and encourage more students to study math and science or follow a technical career path." One local group trying to make a difference in this area is the Advanced Manufacturing Careers Collaborative. There are many wonderful resources available on their website. Check it out.

Macy's Parade Workforce Development

Yet another article proves that there's no such thing as unskilled work. Balloon handlers need skills, too. This interesting NYTimes article discusses the training (or lack thereof) for the 2,000 balloon handlers who keep the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade afloat. My favorite quote -- "Please do not inhale helium escaping from the balloon." Amen.

Butler Students Learn About Healthcare Careers & WISER

Today, Butler HS students visited HCPI and took a tour of WISER -- the Peter Winter Institute for Simulation, Education and Research. WISER is one of the most active training institutes in the US -- serving more than 6000 trainees a year. This picture shows one of the simulation rooms and a SimMan.

Retention Initiatives on the Rise

Are employers finally figuring out that people really do matter? A recent SHRM survey reports that as the U.S. economy and the job market improve, a significant majority of workers are searching for new employers. Three out of four workers who are employed and responded to the survey said they are job searching actively or passively. Not only are people looking for jobs -- they're finding them. The report points out the increase in voluntary resignations and resulting concern amongst HR professionals. What's an employer to do? Many more organizations are looking towards retention strategies to address this business challenge. Almost half (49 percent) of HR professionals said their organizations were implementing special retention processes as a direct result of perceived improvements in the economy and the job market—up from 35 percent in 2004. Learn more on the SHRM website.

Live from DC -- People Do Matter!

Live from Washington DC... It's the Pinnacle Awards! I'm here in Washington DC with fellow Pittsburgh Human Resource Association Board members (Faith Stipanovich, John Oliverio, and Kelly Scott) to accept the pretigious Pinnacle Award for outstanding chapter achievement. The PHRA is being recognized for the organization's role as a founding partern of the People Do Matter Initiative -- a program aimed at recognizing outstanding HR practices in the Pittsburgh region. This is great news for all of the PDM partners and the Pittsburgh region. The size, scope and quality of this conference is impressive -- more than 900 chapter leaders from across the country are in attendance. Last night we toured the rather impressive home office for SHRM (home to 300 employees and a whopping 87 million budget). More photos later from the main stage. Better go sign autographs ;-)

Road Trip Nation Inspiration

A lot of us career development geeks are big fans of Road Trip Nation -- a tv show about two college students who went on a roadtrip to learn how successful business leaders found their career path. Personally, I love the show because it's so much more human and realistic than the average career guide. It celebrates the very imperfect journey we all take. Learn more from the WSJ... Or visit RTN online.

Will PA Really Pass Career Ed Standards?

It seems like PA is finally inching towards the rest of the nation and getting one step closer towards establishing state standards for career education. Proposed regulatory changes to Chapter 4 Proposed State Standards for Career Education and Work will be published in the November 5, 2005 edition of the Pennsylvania Bulletin and will undergo a 30-day public comment period. Why does this matter? Simply put, it's a lot easier to get somewhere if you know where you're going. View the proposed changes to Chapter 4. and the proposed changes for Career Education and Work .

There's No Place Like Home

When talking to HS kids about their future plans, it's fairly clear that most are looking forward to getting out of their parents' house. So why are THE MAJORITY of students headed back home after graduation? An Oct. 15 article in the Washington Post that said 60 percent of 2005 graduates planned on moving back home after graduation. And Census Bureau data indicates that "in 2003, 50 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds and 27 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds were living with their parents." The clearest reason for the return to the nest -- economics. Many kids don't have jobs lined up immediately upon graduation. Told you you should have gone to Career Services! Read more...

Proficiency Concerns

A report compiled by the Pennsylvania Economy League titled "Jobs of the Future" shows that highly skilled workers must be proficient in reading and math to compete for future jobs. The study points out the following concerns: 1. ) There will be jobs for people with only a high school degree, but more than one-half of the region's 11th graders are not proficient in math, and more than one-third of them are not proficient in reading. 2. ) More than 80 percent of the job openings will require only a high school diploma or a two-year degree. 3.) The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis estimates that, on average, nearly 85 percent of the future openings in the region will be replacement jobs, i.e. openings due to retirements, promotions, etc.

Read more online at www.alleghenyconference.org.

Health Careers Awareness Week

Don't miss the forum, "Workforce Development & the Healthcare Industry" on November 14, 2005 at Alumni Hall. The event will kick off the regional events that are being planned for Pennsylvania Health Careers Awareness Week. This policy-focused forum will feature regional and state experts on health workforce planning and HR, career education, incumbent worker initiatives and public policy. To request an invitation, please email Vanessa Lund.

Long Time, No Blog

The student leaders pictured here are taking our career literacy materials, repackaging them for younger peers and helping other kids begin their own career exploration adventure. In October alone, we trained more than 50 of these Student Ambassadors. They're enthusiastic, creative and energizing. It's been an awesome fall here at HCPI!

Apprenticeships -- The Real Reality Show

CS Monitor reports that on-the-job-training is making a comeback, with 63,000 completing apprenticeship programs this year - up 68 percent from 2000. Read more...

Career Exploration Resources

There are two brilliant new additions to the career exploration toolkit. Both resources are based in Southwest PA -- offering relevant local information about career exploration. The Future is Mine is a project of the Mon Valley Education Consortium. Their website is serving as a very practical resource for schools participating in yearlong career education activities. Many of the pages are designed to give students the chance to ask questions. It will be interesting to watch those message boards come to life! Also, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation's Health Careers Futures site has gone live. Like MVEC's site, this also offers outstanding resources for students, teachers and parents. I'm a big fan of their health careers toolkit -- the toolkit provides testimonials from people in health careers, maps of career pathways and practical information about how to pursue relevant education and training to meet one's career goals.

Busy Season

Wow! Sending out the new HCPI brochure sure did generate a lot of interest on behalf of schools. We have 40 presentations coming up in the next 2 months. Some highlights: Career Ambassador training at West Allegheny High School, Parent Open House at Blue Knob Elementary School, and a teacher training in collaboration with PHEAA. We've also had some media attention. Last week, I had the pleasure of being on PCNC's Night Talk. (I believe the show airs 9/16 at 8pm, 9/17 at 2am and 9/19 at 5pm.) The PCNC show focused on Hurricane Katrina. It was a great opportunity to discuss our region's disaster preparedness. You have to wonder, if we were faced with a major disaster, could our resource-strained healthcare workforce meet the challenge? Next week (9/25), a segment we taped for Teens On Q will finally air. This segment focuses on opportunities in IT. Let's hope these are all signs that our region is becoming more career literate.

Katrina's Lesson in Globalization

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina is calling some to question big business' just-in-time philosophy. Being "highly specialized" reduces redundancies, but it also makes us more vunerable. Hear more on Marketplace's online report.

Wilkinsburg Kiwannis Share Passion for Investing in Our Region's Workforce

Thanks to the Wilkinsburg Kiwannis for giving HCPI the opportunity to share the "Talent Trapeze" presentation this afternoon. The audience asked wonderful questions and had some exciting ideas for follow up activities. We're particularly excited about the support of the Wilkinsburg school administrators who were in attendance. It's through these generous ideas and support that HCPI is able to improve workforce development in Southwest PA. We look forward to the start of a new school year and many more presentations about career-exploration opportunities in our region.

In the UK, Healthcare Jobs are Dreamy

A survey released by Great Britian's Skills Council lists the top "dream jobs" of both kids and adults. Interestingly, medical professions such as physician and nurse were more popular than entertainment or sports jobs. (And this comes from a country with lower wages for medical professions!)

 TOP 10 DREAM JOBS FOR KIDS        TOP 10 DREAM JOBS FOR ADULTS
 1) Doctor/Nurse                   1) Writer
 2) Vet                            2) Teacher
 3) Footballer                     3) Landscape Gardener
 4) Teacher                        4) Paramedic
 5) Actor/Movie Star               5) Photographer
 6) Writer                         6) Police Officer
 7) Dancer/Ballerina               7) Physiotherapist
 8) Pilot                          8) Movie Director
 9) Pop Star                       9) Restaurant Owner
 10) Astronaut                    10) Musician

Learn more . . .

High Flying Workforce

Despite record fuel prices, one formerly struggling airline has finally turned a profit -- American Airlines is finally in the black. How? Remember those funny stories about getting rid of pillows on certain flights and eliminating olives from the salads? American turned minor cost reductions into major savings. But the real story is that the ideas were products of the company's human capital -- the existing workforce. Christian Science Monitor reports that two American Airlines mechanics built "Thumping Ralph" --a drill-bit sharpener made from discarded household machinery that allows them to get more use out of each bit-- saving the airline as much as $300,000 a year. The airline also benefited from a group of pilots who figured out that they could save fuel costs by using only one engine to taxi. What might happen if more managers listened to the ideas of their workforce? Read more...

HR Hatred

The latest issue of Fast Company really caught my attention -- "Why We Hate HR." Obviously, a provocative title. I really like the picture, too. But reach beyond the visual and read the article -- it's worth it. Here's a snip: "HR is the corporate function with the greatest potential -- the key driver, in theory, of business performance -- and also the one that most consistently underdelivers. And I am here to find out why." Read more...

In the Pink

I was looking at a new business publication for women (Pink), and found these sobering statistics: Women represent 51% of the population, but only 1.6% of the Fortune 500 CEOs, 5.2% of top earners, and 7.9% of the highest titles. I'm at a loss for words.

Wissensfabrik

Germany has long been a model for business-education partnerships. Their model for vocational education has been the envy of many leaders in the states. This article reveals they have their own challenges and some exciting solutions. Take a look at how Germany is building an educational "knowledge factory." http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/08/business/wbnurture.php#

Southwest Pennsylvania Business Education Foundation

On June 21st, Board members of the Southwest Pennsylvania Business Education Foundation completed training to be speakers for the Human Capital Policy Initiative. The training was held at the beautiful new campus of South Fayette High School. Special thanks go to Terry Brennan for coordinating the training. These extraordinary educational leaders shared exciting ideas about how they plan to ensure that children are given the tools they need to explore careers and acheive their goals.

HCPI Inspiration in San Diego

Nearly two dozen HR leaders from Pittsburgh attended the Society for Human Resource Management Conference in San Diego, California in June, 2005. It was an outstanding opportunity to listen to remarkable speakers, participate in high quality workshops, meet other HR professionals (approximately 25,000 of them!) all and experience a little California sunshine. HCPI colleagues would have loved Malcolm Gladwell's keynote address. (Gladwell's book, "The Tipping Point," was nearly the bible for HCPI's creation!) Gladwell told a compelling story to illustrate why we need processes and systems to protect us from our sometimes inaccurate instincts. His example -- the gender bias of international symphonies before the introduction of a screen to obscure the gender of performers. Before the screen there were hardly any female musicians playing in world-class symphonies. After the screen, guess who started playing with the boys? Another SHRM attendee wrote a good article about Gladwell's findings. Read more...

Will Controlling Health Care Costs Hurt the Economy?

At last week's Society for Human Resource Management's annual conference, I was struck by how often people mentioned their concerns about rising healthcare costs. This is a business challenge that the HR community is struggling to address. On the positive side, if they can find a way to control costs, they'll gain the attention of their organizations' leaders. On the negative side, controlling costs may mean a shift of the burden from the employer to the individual.

What I began to wonder is what will controlling healthcare costs mean to our region's economic development? The healthcare sector is a large and powerful component of our regional economy. How can we control business costs without hindering the health of the industry itself? Will we be able to control costs without hindering job growth, wages, technological advances, etc.?

Some of the issues are laid out nicely in a US Health and Human Services Report available at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/costgrowth/.

What do you think?