ITinfo: U.S. Skills Gap is a National Problem

Workers Require More Training

Additional training required for high skill jobs

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U.S. Skills Gap is a National Problem

by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

Yesterday concluded the Joint Employment and Training Technology Conference. U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao addressed the conference with a stirring call for more workforce training.

Secretary Chao said evidence of the skills gap can be seen in the monthly unemployment rates, which show a decline in manufacturing jobs and an urgent demand for highly skilled workers. Even with the downturn in the dot com sector, thousands of high tech jobs go unfilled each month because there aren't enough skilled workers.

The annual conference is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment Training Administration and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and brought about 2,500 business, government, and workforce development experts together to learn how to teach train workers in the skills that will prepare them for high tech work. The focus of the just concluded conference was e-learning.

Secretary Chao warned that unless workers receive additional training employers will look to hire skilled immigrants, older experienced Americans, and others who have been left out of the work force because of discrimination.

Dave's Opinion

I'm heartened when I hear the U.S. Labor Secretary call for more workforce training. Training, like education, is a lifelong process -- a life skill that pays tangible benefits.

The salary statistics for IT training are sketchy: reports often target the benefits on one particular vendor's training rather than the general benefits of all types of training. Educational benefits are more clearly reported by the Department of Labor: employees with a college education are expected to earn 70 percent more than high school graduates, up from 38 percent two decades ago.

The best advice I can give employees, especially IT workers, who are seeking to improve their employment is to start interviewing now. Ask your current employer and prospective employers what skills they look for when considering hiring and promoting. A good first step is to get six 15-minute interviews within the next month. See what patterns develop from your conversations with employers. Then pick your next career move and pursue it with a vengeance.

Take responsibility for your own training and development whether you need another degree, certification, or class.

The next bit of advice is to get your resume in front of the right people. If you're an IT trainer, post your resume to ITrain's job bank; if you're an employer, post your job openings.

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updated July 19, 2001
http://dgl.com/itinfo/2001/it010719.html