Newspapers recently read one headline that caught major attention:
“Skills are replacing a college degree in this job market,” as famously quoted by LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, and the vast youth in the world couldn’t be happier. He further added that they are also seeing a shift in how job postings are written on LinkedIn. While 20% of all job postings don’t clearly state education requirements, they are up from 4% in March; meanwhile, HR teams report looking beyond degrees and schools to find great talent. The world has changed. The workforce keeps evolving, and so does the hiring process.
The world has changed, and careers have changed with it. When you were young, a degree was the path to quick advancement and financial security; now it is an achievement but not nearly as important as skills.
As we are the potential future of our industry, take a moment to step back and ask yourself, “What skills do I need to be successful in the industry on a large scale?” Then think about how much time it would take to get those new skills, and remember that some of them will have very little overlap with your initial degree or position. Think about how many companies are stepping up their training options so that employees are not only learning new skills but also gaining experience from their employers.
According to a study by Gallup, only about one in three employees feels that their training is up to date. If you want to address this issue and get skilled hands-on employees on your team, learning in hands-on labs and closing the skill gaps can be the best way to do so. The New York Times also reports that nearly 70 percent of companies are dealing with talent shortages, resulting in a gap between what their employees can and are capable of doing. As your organization grows, so should your employees’ skill sets and talent. To develop these skills, you’ll need to run engaging workforce development programs that engage employees in the process.