THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF EDUCATION
Consider This
According to Bridging the Skills Gap: Workforce Development in Changing Times survey conducted by the Association for Talent Development, 83 percent of businesses are reporting a skills gap in their organizations due to the pandemic, increased resignations, changing technology and an aging workforce.
Among organizations surveyed, the largest skills gaps were reported in critical-thinking and problem-solving skills (65 percent), managerial skills (55 percent), and communication and interpersonal skills (53 percent).
Talent development professionals surveyed said they expect to continue to face gaps in the future in critical-thinking and problem-solving skills (56 percent), leadership skills (53 percent), and creativity and innovation skills (50 percent), researchers said.
Other Key Takeaways of the Report Include:
- Six in 10 participants said the skills of the current workforce do not match changes in the company’s strategy, goals, markets or business models.
- Most participants say their organization is addressing the skills gaps they face by providing more training internally in technology-aided settings such as e-learning or virtual classrooms (60 percent), and more in-person training (21 percent).
- A majority of respondents (57 percent) said that they were addressing skills gaps by examining what skills the organization needs to be successful now and in the future, while 55 percent said that they were assessing current gaps and creating a plan to address the most critical areas.
In this issue of the MBA Business Magazine, we’ll highlight some of the educational resources that are helping to shape the future workforce, entrepreneurs and business leaders in our community. In addition, we’ll hear from the MBA’s Manager of Member Engagement Patty Welther about the value of attending the MBA’s first annual Leadership Summit on April 19 at the MBA Conference Center in Erie.
Plus, learn what our experts are saying about the importance of training, especially computer training in today’s 21st century work world. To learn more about how the MBA can assist your organization in closing the skills gap at your organization, visit mbausa.org.
