Credit: Terrell Clark for The Hechinger Report With tens of millions of workers now unemployed and needing to learn new skills, President of Western Governors University, Scott Pulsipher and I discuss how investment and the pace of innovation need to increase to create a better equipped and more equitable workforce. Read more in The Hechinger Report.
The most important COVID-19 education story is one nobody’s telling
With all of the coverage on the state of education during COVID-19, one important topic is being overlooked. Half of the US labor market is comprised of middle-skill workers. These are the people on the frontlines right now, the ones who are eligible for open roles in key industries, but the ones who are not being […]
5 Predictions for the Future of Work Podcast
I spoke with Mike Palmer to share five predictions for the Future of Work in his podcast, Trending in Education. With the middle skill workforce so heavily impacted by automation and changes in learning format, it’s important for companies to be ready for change in 2020. In this podcast, we discuss the trends Penn Foster […]
The Layoffs Are Coming. Why Not Worry.
ILLUSTRATION: BRIAN STAUFFER FROM wsj.com As more jobs become automated, layoffs are becoming a looming reality. Coupled with authentic concern for staff members, leading employers are increasingly mindful of the brand risk associated with terminating members of their workforce. As business leaders often forecast years in advance changes in workforce composition, including layoffs, there is an […]
Colleges must speak employers’ language on skills training
As more employers are looking to offer education as a benefit to train their workers with new skills, there is increased need for education providers to speak two languages. Employers are looking for job readiness and consistency. Workers are looking for employment and income improvements. We need to adapt to provide value to both. Read more about workforce planning and what education providers need to do to teach the skills employers are looking for on educationdive.com
Why Not to Ignore the Invisible, “Unbanked” Labor Market
Middle-skill workers are the majority of the U.S. labor market but are among the least likely to have a career focused social media presence. With recruiters looking to platforms like LinkedIn and using digital keyword tools when looking for candidates, many who are not online are falling through the cracks. Their invisibility in the digital […]
What If You Built a School for One Person?
At Penn Foster, we think the institution needs to wrap itself around the individual, not the individual around the institution. Listen to these thoughts I shared at the Learner Revolution Dinner and Discussion hosted by Education Design Lab about putting learners at the forefront of the future of work landscape.
Lost in Translation: Decoding the New Language of the Labor Market
Though nearly two-thirds of Americans do not have four-year college degrees, many have the skills employers are looking for. Still, middle-skill industry employers are requiring bachelor degrees for jobs that don’t really need them, leading to suboptimal hiring choices. Education providers must now translate these skills into signals that employers recognize. The challenge is recognizing […]
Insights from SXSWEDU 2019 On Closing the Skills Gap
Closing the middle skills gap was a hot topic of conversation at SXSWEDU 2019, and Penn Foster was right in the middle of the discussion. Panelists from education and workforce development organizations identified four areas of focus that could help close the middle skills gap, creating opportunity for workers and employers alike. Bringing their ideas […]
The Real Impact of Automation: A Skills Revolution
It’s no secret that automation is considered to be one of the biggest enemies of the skilled worker. The thought is that improving technology will soon make human work obsolete. But, what if the actual narrative is different, and, in fact, positive for your workforce? Is there a path to creating incremental opportunities for growth, […]
