Campus News

By Deepshikha Shukla, Ph.D. 

The rapid acceleration of technological advancements in the modern era fueled by internet-based technologies and unprecedented growth in semiconductor chip design has exposed a skills gap in today’s workforce.

Forbes magazine reports: “According to a McKinsey report, lack of career development and advancement is the top reason for leaving a job. Eighty-seven percent of organizations ‘know they have a skills gap or will have one within the next few years.’ However, in a study by PWC, only 40% of employees say their company is upskilling, and only 26% said their employer is automating or enhancing work through technology.”

The skills gap refers to the disparity between the skills employers need and job seekers’ skills. This can occur due to technological advancements, changes in industry requirements, and inadequacies in the education system to equip individuals with relevant skills, among other reasons. The higher education industry, which has traditionally prepared future job-seekers, is massive and therefore has substantial inertia that hinders agility.

This paved the way for companies like Google, IBM, Salesforce, etc. who developed in-house industry certifications to meet their needs through competency-based education – learning that focuses on demonstrating specific skills or competencies rather than the time spent in a classroom. Large companies such as these had the means and they adapted. However, the bulk of the small- and medium-sized businesses that make up a significant part of the United States (or global) economy and drive prosperity at the local and state level do not have the same means, resources, and access.

Suppose you add to that the challenge of digital transformation necessitated by generative AI and Cybersecurity considerations. In that case, there continues to be a substantial demand for re-envisioning the current workforce development needs.  Gradual changes to adapt are not enough to catch up. In a report called “How Skills Are Disrupting Work: The Transformational Power of Fast Growing, In-Demand Skills,” the Burning Glass Institute argues the need to differentiate between these disruptive skills. For example, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-based skills have had a growth rate of over 370% over the five years preceding the report. This is the most aggressively growing skills sector.

Rockford University (RU) recently launched the College of Professional and Extended Learning (CPEL) to provide programming to address and bridge the skills gap in the greater Rockford area by consolidating and/or enhancing existing programming. Annual Business Summits and networking opportunities intend to create a continued conversation between various stakeholders in the area. Competency-based education through credentialing, courses, workshops, and boot camps scaffold the traditional curriculum and offer options to current and future employees individually or through employers.

Companies can access custom programming to meet their specific needs. Focused partnerships with industries, K-12, and post-secondary organizations will shape pathways toward a common goal of economic prosperity in the region. Re-envisioned career preparation for RU students and alumni leveraging connections to local businesses promises to streamline the pipeline for a future workforce. We are Rockford’s University and we are excited about the future and invested in the growth of our region.

References:

• LinkedIn
• How Skills Are Disrupting Work

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