A new report, “Workforce Wins: The Case for Opportunity Youth Talent Pipelines,” details the struggles that employers continue to face in finding and retaining the talent that they need to fill their job openings. Outdated hiring practices, based on what’s on paper, are needlessly shrinking the talent pool. A four-year degree alone is no longer a guarantee of preparedness and isn’t necessarily a demonstration of the skill sets that today’s businesses require.
The saying goes, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” The world is changing. Industry is changing. Hiring practices and workforce development need to change with the times. Instead of continuing to face difficulty, employers should play an active role in shaping our nation’s future talent pipeline.
When it comes to closing the skills gap, employers need to begin making connections at the high school level – when their future workforce is just beginning to explore their college and career options and make important decisions about their career paths. Not only will companies help to shape their talent pipelines, but will also boost their brands.
NAF academies participate in more than just traditional academics measured by high school diplomas. Exposure to the working world is at the heart of the NAF experience. Students participate in a continuum of work-based learning activities focused on career awareness, exploration, and culminates in career preparation activities, designed specifically to address the skills gap. Through these activities, young people become exceptionally prepared to work in the fastest-growing industries, such as finance, information technology, health sciences, engineering, hospitality and tourism, and more. They can easily and thoughtfully make connections that translate from the classroom to a real-world workplace setting.
Corporate involvement is key to providing access to these opportunities for ALL students, with some examples including: mock interviews; career fairs; worksite tours; guest speaking opportunities; and paid internships. Businesses are able to witness the contributions that students make from day one and can begin to define and help develop the skills that match their particular needs.
Upon successful completion of NAFTrack Certification, students are eligible for NAFTrack Certified Hiring – a promise made by some of America’s top companies to give special consideration to college students and future job applicants who have completed the NAF course of study and graduated high school having earned NAFTrack Certification. Benefits of this program include pre-interview and resume support, and access to paid college internships. The list now includes 15 of the top national and global companies, including Verizon, SAP North America, KPMG, Lenovo, and more.
By bringing the business world to the classroom, we can begin to close the skills gap and build the workforce that companies need. Education and business have the power to tap into the potential that is so desperately needed within our future leaders and will enable our economy to continue thriving for generations to come.