The Skills Gap Fallacy – Part2

Local Solutions to a National Problem

     Public policy can change course with each election.  The lack of stability creates a great deal of uncertainty for companies that rely on it to execute certain strategies.  Closing the “skills gap” – considered by many to be the most pressing issue facing manufacturers – need not be subject to the volatility of political and bureaucratic wind-shifting.  The examples below demonstrate how businesses can disentangle their training needs from public policy debates and create the skills inventory needed in their workforce.

• General Electric launched the Brilliant Learning program “based on GE’s Brilliant Factory strategy, which combines lean, advanced, additive and digital manufacturing” to train employees “in the use of digital technologies and new manufacturing processes.”  The program will be made “available to all employees, in multiple languages across all levels of manufacturing roles.”
• At Siemens, the Workforce Performance Improvement (WPI) program “begins by aligning current worker competency to business targets” and uses “learning methods individually tailored to improve job performance and meet specific performance needs.”
• In Lincoln County, NC, college students are offered summer internships at companies such as Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, providing opportunities “to learn valuable skills, gain work experience and build their resumes.”  One company Director describes it as “a win-win situation;” employers also benefit from a locally developed talent pool.
• Shape Corp. recognizes that “[t]alent essentials forever change and evolve.”  That is why the company is “continuously evaluating [their] development programs in order to grow [their] talent to meet tomorrow’s demands.”  Mentors look for “untapped talent and skills that can be developed to meet current and projected needs.”

     The forward-looking nature of these programs is an element critical to their success and that of the sponsoring company.  “Training for yesterday” exacerbates the “lost generation” problem and must be avoided.

     If your company lacks the resources to rapidly deploy a full-scale internal training program, third-party options can be used as a bridge.

• Process-specific training is available from providers such as ToolingU from SME.  Students can pursue individual courses or an entire series.  Some programs provide students the opportunity to earn industry-recognized credentials (certifications).
• Industry-specific organizations, such as the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) in Kent, WA, have been created to meet the unique needs of manufacturers in their industry.
• More generalized training programs are available for employees that require multidisciplinary  knowledge.  For example, the Advanced Skills Academy from Rockwell Automation provides training in electrical and mechanical skills, controls, and automation.
• Regional cooperatives have been created in various places around the country to support a variety of businesses in surrounding areas.
• A wide range of resources are available online.  Searching for nearly any topic will likely yield several potential sources of training material; many of these resources are available at no charge to the user.  There is one caveat, however:  it is particularly important, when using material from an unfamiliar source, to carefully assess its quality and accuracy before promoting it to employees.

     Adopting a self-reliant stance on employee training and skills development offers numerous advantages.

• The impact of public policy and government funding volatility is minimized.
• Tax incentives may be available to offset the cost of administering a training program.
• Control of the training schedule remains within the company.  Educational institutions’ mandates may not be compatible with the training needed.  For example, most colleges operate on a 15-week semester schedule, while short bursts of instruction, with interim periods of application and practice may be more effective.
• Applicability, or value to the organization, of content delivered can be assured.  If acquired training material is too general, targets a different industry, or in any way fails to meet your employees' needs efficiently, an alternate source can be found.  Material can also be developed independently, incorporating input from experienced employees.
• Confidentiality, and any competitive advantage it provides, is more easily maintained.  Customizing an educational institution’s curriculum to support your business requires disclosure of details about your processes; your business no longer controls access to this information.
• Participants can be monitored directly and continuously to evaluate development of technical and nontechnical skills, attitudes, and cultural fit.
• Internal programs are more responsive to changing needs.  Content and delivery methods can be adapted more rapidly to ensure that training remains relevant and effective.
• The inclusion of training programs in business planning catalyzes a shift from reactive to proactive management.
• Loyalty and teamwork are enhanced through shared commitment and experiences and the professional relationships that develop as a result.
• Visible support of employee development fosters an enterprise-wide culture of continuous improvement.

     Several areas of expertise will be needed to close the skills gap.  A consultant experienced in the various facets of employee development can provide guidance to a business launching, accelerating, expanding, or reworking an internal training program. 

• Evaluate employee training needs (gap analysis)
• Create training materials and content
• Provide group or individual instruction
• Lead hands-on exercises
• Develop objective evaluation metrics and processes to evaluate student performance and training effectiveness
• Track employee (individual) and program (organization) progress
• Manage the employee development process in whole or in part

     A limited number of examples of corporate and independent training programs has been provided to inspire business leaders to consider a strategy of self-reliance and develop a local solution to the skills shortage.  Though it may exist nationwide, the “skills gap” is a local issue.  It exists within your business and that is where it is best addressed.
 

            Part 3 will lay out a series of steps a business can follow to develop their own local solution and close the skills gap that affects it.

References
[Link] “How Siemens, Others Work to Fill the Skills Gap.”  Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing 2017
[Link] “How to Future-Proof via Training.”  Plant Services, July 2017
[Link] “Manufacturers offer internships to local students.”  Lincoln Times-News, January 29, 2018
[Link] “Manufacturing Careers: Overlooked, Undervalued and Unknown.”  Manufacturing Engineering, September 2017
[Link] “New Advanced Manufacturing Training Center Opens in Kent, Washington.”  PR Newswire, December 14, 2017
[Link] “Push for Technical Education Gains Momentum.”  Manufacturing Engineering, January, 2018
[Link] ToolingU – SME
[Link] “Who’s Taking Responsibility for Your Supply Chain?”  IndustryWeek, May/June 2017

Jody W. Phelps, MSc, PMP®, MBA
Principal Consultant
JayWink Solutions, LLC
jody@jaywink.com