Talent Attraction, Wyoming Style

Wyoming is recruiting workers from Michigan in the hopes of addressing labor shortages and growing the economy and population. It's good to see an article that discusses the allure of rural living. So much "talent attraction" seems to stereotype a desireable locale as a city with loft apartments. Let's face it, a lot of people want more peaceful environment. And some actually like winter! Bottom line -- having a strong job offer is critical. My other thought about this article is that it is further evidence of the labor market shortage faced by the energy industry. The problem is probably worse in a sparsely populated state such as Wyoming, but things aren't looking too good for SWPA. After all, the industry has a disproportionately older workforce and people are bound to eventually leave the workforce. My question is, "What are we doing to build a pipeline of future workers?"

What Happened to US Air?

Five years ago Pittsburgh received some particularly bad economic news -- US Airways announced that it planned to lay off a significant number of workers. Politicians and community leaders scrambled to respond and promises for worker assistance were made. So what happened to the former US Airways workers? In a few weeks, the Institute of Politics will release a "Case in Point" publication that looks at how our region's workforce system responded to these layoffs. There's a story on the topic in last weekend's Tribune Review. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_467929.html One of the most striking "lessons learned" is the fact that our workforce system does not do a very robust job tracking its own performance. Thus, we have insufficient data about who we served, how we served them and what happened as a result.

Picture This

A large auditorium is filled with high school students. They're beginning a week of healthcare career exploration activities. They shout out the names of the healthcare professions they know. “Doctor!” “Nurse!” “Dentist!” The lights dim and the students see picture of an emergency room. Text appears above the people in the picture, identifying their job and regional labor statistics. “What’s a radiology tech?” one student asks. “What’s an Associate’s degree?” asks another. With a look of shock, a girl in the front row whispers, “Those numbers can’t be right. I thought everyone in healthcare was rich.”

This is the scene that HCPI's speakers experience on a regular basis. In our brief presentations, we are often able to answer these questions. But if it's a good conversation, additional questions may arise at a later date. What are we going to do to ensure that there's someone available to continue this conversation?

Be What I Want to Be

I'm a sucker for a good story. Maybe that's why I absolutely love the Maryland Business Roundtable's career exploration website: http://www.bewhatiwanttobe.com/index.php You can read about people in a variety of jobs and industries. The site tells you what they do, why they pursued their career and profiles a "day in the life." They also explain how certain classes helped prepare them for their work. Clever... very clever.

Career Research Websites

I've been cruising the Internet, checking out career research websites. Here's a brief list of sites I like.. Select Resources Career Planning 1. www.onetcenter.org/tools.html 2. www.princetonreview.com/cte/quiz 3. www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/default.asp 4. www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm 5. www.keys2work.org 6. www.monster.com 7. www.careerbuilder.com 8. www.vault.com 9. www.quintcareers.com 10. www.clgh.org/locations/jecec/jobscareers/careers.html Industry/Economic Information 1. www.clpgh.org/subject/business/news.html 2. www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/05_02/B39150502industry.htm 3. www.fultcom/Tindex/13.html Company Research Resources 1. www.quintcareers.com/career_centers/ 2. www.learnwebskills.com/company/index.html 3. www.irin.com/cgi-bin/main.cgi 4. www.vault.com 5. www.forbes.com/lists/2006/18/06fk_The-Forbes-2000_Rank.html 6. www.sba.gov/index.html

Singapore Luring Away Top US Talent

I've noticed some increased attention to the fact that the US lags behind other countries in producing a critical mass of engineers and scientists. (Although, there's an interesting counterpoint in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.) Jut when I thought it was safe... I read about yet another international talent dilemna -- the best of the best are being recruited to work elsewhere. (In a global economy, I'm not sure this is a bad thing.) Regardless, the policy issues are intriguing. Not only is the Singapore government pouring money into the development of biotech, they're creating a decidely different regulatory environment. "Cores of the world's top companies and scientists have been lured by promises of hassle-free funding and the freedom to follow their research interests, unfettered by the conflicted ethical debate in the United States about the use of stem cells." Read more...

Teens Want Jobs

Despite all of the adult fretting about teenagers' work ethic, teens are eager to join the workforce. A recent Boys and Girls Club survey asked teens what they would like to see done differently for teens in the US. Thirty-nine percent stated that they want more youth jobs! Moreover, many teens believe that a good job is a key component of the American dream. Read more...

The Aging Workforce Opportunity

Last Friday, the Institute of Politics (in partnership with the Three Rivers WIB) hosted a forum on the aging SWPA workforce. Nearly 150 business leaders, elected officials, social service agencies and foundation program officers gathered to better understand the challenges and opportunities created by our demographics. The speakers were outstanding. I won't mention them all here. I hope to have some more info (and actual presentations) soon posted on the HCPI website. For me, one of the most surprising points was that Pennsylvania may actually be ahead of the curve. (The Boston College speakers have researched other states' actions on this topic and PA is looking good.) And that was before they knew that Governor Rendell issued Executive Order 2006-04 Pennsylvania 2020 Vision Project. This directs agencies to develop plans to meet the challenges of serving an older population. Among other things, the project will evaluate the impact of the aging population on the workforce. Go PA!

Not Work Ready

I just started reading a report from ETS about High School Reform and Work and found this sobering statistic. According to research from the National Association of Manufacturers, the most common reason why companies reject applicants as hourly production workers is a lack of basic employability skills such as attendance, timeliness, work ethic, etc. (Sixty-nine percent of respondents chose this response.) I wonder how many of those production jobs are making the devices that make work more flexible and convenient (cell phones, computers, etc.) Keep in mind that we market many modern products by telling people that their purchase will buy them some form of freedom or an opportunity to break the rules. No wonder timeliness and attendance aren't respected.

Tomorrow's Workforce

Check out this Newsweek article about education reform in North Carolina. You'll see some interesting comments from N.C. Governor, Michael Easley. According to Easley, the current education model needs to be reconsidered. The flawed model was designed to send a few to college and to let others drop out or graduate with minimal skills. This doesn't fly if you want to be a global economic leader. So how do you build a stronger education system? Career preparation is a major component... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13122863/site/newsweek/