Workforce Development Programs

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

The most important skills today and in the next years will be human capabilities: critical and analytic thinking, resilience, leadership and influence, overlaid with technological literacy and AI skills to amplify these human capacities. World Economic Forum's new Future of Jobs Report provides a deep and broad analysis of the drivers of labour market transformation, the outlook for jobs and skills, and workforce strategies across industries and nations. It's a really worthwhile deep dive if you're interested in the topic (link in comments). Here are some of the highlights from the Skills section, which to my mind is at the heart of it. 🧠 Analytical Thinking Leads Core Skills. Skills like analytical thinking (70%), resilience (66%), and creative thinking (64%) top the list of core abilities for 2025. By 2030, the emphasis shifts even more towards AI and big data proficiency (85%), technological literacy (76%), and curiosity-driven lifelong learning (79%). This shift underscores the critical role of technology and adaptability in future workplaces. 📉 Skill Stability Declines but at a Slower Rate. Employers predict that 39% of workers' core skills will change by 2030, slightly lower than 44% in 2023. This reflects a stabilization in the pace of skill disruption due to increased emphasis on upskilling and reskilling programs. Half of the workforce now engages in training as part of long-term learning strategies compared to 41% in 2023, showcasing the growing adaptation to technological changes . 🌍 Economic Disparities in Skill Disruption. Middle-income economies anticipate higher skill disruption compared to high-income ones. This disparity highlights the uneven challenges of transitioning labor forces across global regions, particularly in economies still grappling with structural changes. 🚀 Tech-Savvy Skills in High Demand. The adoption of frontier technologies, including generative AI and machine learning, is increasing the demand for skills like big data analysis, cybersecurity, and technological literacy. These trends indicate that businesses are aligning workforce strategies to integrate these advancements effectively. 📚 Upskilling Is the Norm, Not the Exception. By 2030, 73% of organizations aim to prioritize workforce upskilling as a response to ongoing disruptions. This reflects a shift in corporate investment priorities towards human capital enhancement to maintain competitiveness.

When I read about Nolan Norman learning how to solder circuit boards at 18, I didn’t just see a student, I saw a spark. A spark that starts when education meets opportunity. When hands-on training meets industry need. When someone finally connects what’s possible to what’s practical. Lorain County Community College is showing how this can be done, not through slogans or press releases, but through action. High school partnerships. Paid internships. Flexible pathways to real careers. Curriculum aligned to what employers actually need. It’s not flashy. It’s just smart. And it works. At the Global Electronics Association, we know this kind of model is key to strengthening the advanced manufacturing workforce. It’s how we build trusted supply chains, starting with trusted people. https://bit.ly/4mCxqmi

Adapting to Change: The #Evolving Landscape of Learning & Development The world of Learning and Development (L&D) is constantly evolving, just like the dynamic nature of the workplace itself. Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all approach; today, organizations need a diverse mix of methods to cater to the unique needs and learning styles of their employees. Reflecting on my own journey in L&D, I’ve seen firsthand how flexible and varied learning strategies can significantly impact employee growth and organizational success. Here’s a glimpse into some of the most effective and evolving L&D methods: • Formal Learning: Structured and instructor-led, this traditional approach provides goal-oriented learning in both in-person and online settings. Think lectures, seminars, or webinars. • Informal Learning: This is where learning gets organic and self-directed—through daily tasks, peer interactions, or independent study. It happens naturally and often unexpectedly. • Experiential Learning: Learning by doing! This hands-on method allows employees to learn from their experiences—like OJT, internships, or simulations. • Coaching and Mentoring: Establishing a #culture of coaching and mentoring helps build trust and empowers employees to grow. Whether it’s performance coaching or reverse mentoring, these #relationships guide employees toward achieving their goals. • Skill Building and Cross-Training: Today’s #competitive landscape demands constant upskilling. From targeted training sessions to cross-training for operational flexibility, skill development remains at the core. • Remote Training: The digital age has #revolutionized how we learn, making remote training more relevant. Online courses, webinars, and pre-recorded lessons make learning accessible anytime, anywhere. In my experience, #organizations that embrace these diverse methods are better positioned to engage, develop, and retain their talent. The key is to blend these approaches to suit your team’s #needs and keep evolving with the times. How is your organization adapting to these new L&D trends? Share your thoughts below!

My field trip to the center of adult education: 🇺🇦 war veterans redefining new career path According to recent data, Ukraine needs 5 million more people to ensure economic stability. This week, I visited one of the Vocational and Technical Education Centers by the State Employment Agency of Ukraine. These specialized institutions train adults for the workforce through quick professional training and reskilling. In Rivne, far from the front lines, one of eight active centers educates up to 5,300 unemployed adults annually (down from 10,000 pre-war). The target groups include unemployed disadvantaged groups, internally displaced people, and increasingly, veterans. This center offers 58 reskilling programs, mostly lasting 3-6 months, working closely with employers for quick reintroduction into the labor market. I could write ten posts about what I saw and heard, but here are two highlights: 1. Fast-Track Course for War Veterans to Operate Agricultural Drones: I witnessed the field training of the first Ukrainian pilot course for war veterans to operate agricultural drones. The first group graduated with basic drone operation skills. Participants, coming from different regions and carrying various stages of post-war trauma, spent a week learning to program and operate agricultural drones, becoming a team in the process. Together with their educational coordinator, they now plan to do the course in entreprenership, write a business plan and apply for a governmental startup grant by Ministry of Economy of Ukraine to buy their first drones. Their goal is to motivate more veterans to join their company, offering drone services to local farmers for field monitoring and irrigation. 2. Women Entering Traditionally Male-Dominated Professions: For the first time, the center trained several female tractor drivers and welders. Women joined these programs out of necessity, as their husbands are in the army, leaving behind fields and machinery. There is VR welding simulators, that helps women to have smooth introduction and be more open to pursue this profession. Ca 90% of these course participants are already employed, demonstrating the program's need and impact. Cooperation potential is huge: 🚗 Equipment: Many newer functional cars and trucks were taken to the front lines, creating a desperate need to cooperate with business and automotive producers to rent equipment to keep training pace. 🌤 Rehabilitation: Beyond education, internally displaced people and veterans need additional modules on socialization, emotional support, and integration into society. 🔁 Knowledge exchange: practices are dynamic and can be a win-win for Ukrainian centres and partners from other countries. The dedicated team at the Center impressively tracks the latest technologies and implements quick, hands-on pilots. They recognize the importance of acting fast focusing on the economic growth but also care deeply for each student, to feel needed and useful in the society. #ukraine

Your instructional designers are wasting their talent building courses nobody asked for. I see it everywhere. Brilliant L&D teams spend months crafting beautiful, interactive modules about "Professional Email Etiquette" or "Workplace Wellness" while the sales team is begging for help with objection handling and the customer success team can't figure out why retention is tanking. We've turned instructional design into an art project instead of a business solution. Here's what's happening: Someone in leadership says, "We need training on X," and your team jumps into action. They research learning theories, build personas, create storyboards, and design gorgeous courses. Six months later, completion rates are 12% and nothing has changed. Meanwhile, the real problems are hiding in plain sight. People are struggling, metrics are declining, and teams are frustrated. But nobody thought to ask the humans doing the work what they needed to learn. Here's where it gets interesting: AI-powered learning platforms finally give us better ways to understand people's needs. Instead of guessing based on annual surveys, these systems can track learning patterns, identify skill gaps through competency mapping, and help you spot where interventions might make a difference. The best instructional designers I know spend more time in the business than at their desks. They're on sales calls, watching customer interactions, sitting with support teams, and asking, "What's making your job harder than it should be?" Now, they can use data from their LMS to validate those hunches and see which learning paths actually correlate with better performance. Stop designing courses for compliance checklists and start creating solutions for real people with real problems. Let the data help you find those problems faster, but remember that correlation isn't causation. Your job isn't to make training. Your job is to make people better at their jobs. There's a massive difference. Want to know if your L&D team is on the right track? Ask them, "What business problem did you solve this month?" If they can't answer immediately, you've got some redirecting to do. L&D leaders, what's the most impactful learning solution your team built by talking to the people who needed it? #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #BusinessAlignment #LDLeadership

Is the Great Resignation going to return with a vengeance globally? If employees act on their ‘very/extremely likely’ intentions, it will. Why? One key catalyst: Employees want upskilling to stay competitive. They recognize the evolving tech-driven, skills-focused job market. ~50%+ of adopters expect GenAI to lead to higher salaries. Employees likely to switch employer are TWICE as likely to “strongly consider opportunities to learn new skills” in their decisions. But ONLY 46% of workers find their employer provides enough upskilling to support career progression.   At the same time, key factors employees find 'very important' or 'extremely important' relating to engagement and performance: - Fair pay - 82% - Fulfilling work - 74% - Flexibility - 65% Is your company poised for a(nother?) Great Resignation? Is talent getting upskilled for their careers and business growth? How was the last feedback about employees' experiences? We all need to up-level for modern work. Change is inevitable and ongoing. It’s easier when everyone engages to co-create the way forward. A human-centric work approach counterbalances tech-infused business operations. Consider steps that facilitate a meaningful mindset shift: - Listen to employees’ requirements and concerns. - Invest in training and upskilling to support competitive needs. - Nurture trusting relationships to create belonging and community. - Foster a learning culture to stimulate ongoing growth. - Connect people with the purpose of their work. - Enable teams to agree optimal work configurations. What will ensure your company competes effectively through year end? A strong emphasis on empathy-centered leadership and skills acquisition will get you a long way. What do you think? Data from 56,000 workers across 50 countries reported in PwC's Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024 #retention #greatresignation #turnover #employeeexperience #employeeengagement #engagement #flexibility #upskilling #skillsinventory #skillsneeds #reskilling

Transforming education for Allied Health workforce learners isn’t about giving faculty more to juggle—it’s about clearing their runway so graduates can taxi straight into the professional workplace, practice‑ready on day one. I learned that lesson while serving the one‑million‑strong community of Southern Arizona, working side‑by‑side with the Dean of Workforce Development at our local community college. Every semester, we wrestled with the same questions: ⚫ How do we turn classroom competence into on‑the‑job confidence? ⚫ How do we expose learners to high‑stakes moments—med errors, pressure injuries, mental‑health crises—without risking patient safety? ⚫ How do we scale those experiences when budgets are fixed and faculty bandwidth is already stretched thin? Immersive technology was built to answer these questions for workforce educators. Instead of scrambling for limited clinical slots, instructors can drop students into life-like simulations that mirror scenarios they’ll face in hospitals, clinics, labs, and long‑term‑care settings; even replacing up to 50% of their clinical time. Learners practice the “everyday” errors that drive most incident reports—incorrect dosing, missed turns, overlooked mental‑health cues—until muscle memory kicks in. Meanwhile, faculty reclaim their coaching superpowers: ⚫ On‑demand labs that run 24/7, no extra staffing required. ⚫ Real‑time analytics that spotlight skill gaps before graduates hit the floor. ⚫ Scenario libraries that evolve with industry standards, so programs stay accreditation‑ready. ⚫ A digital investment that grows with the college minimizing the challenges caused by key-person risk and turnover. The result? Faster pipelines from classroom to bedside, imaging suite, rehab gym, or pharmacy counter—and a workforce that enters the field seasoned, not just certified. We’re not replacing educators. We’re handing them the tools to launch the next generation of allied health professionals—stronger, safer, and ready for whatever tomorrow’s shift brings. We’re giving them superpowers to do what they already do—at scale. VRpatients #nursing #nurse #simulation #VR #MR #XR #AI #Workforce #WorkforceDevelopment #WorkforceReady #AlliedHealth

Are you struggling in an under-resourced #workplace? Inadequate staffing has been cited as one of the biggest stressors in today's business world. As employees struggle to manage the job responsibilities of 2 or 3 people, exhaustion happens first. Long working hours, with little to no downtime, leads to mental and physical fatigue. In the long term, it’s the pressure to continue to meet high expectations, even though the workload is unmanageable, that causes #burnout. At this stage, employees either collapse or quit. As employees we know working like this is harmful and not sustainable, but we keep going. The fears of: ❗️ disapproval and judgement  ❗️ missing out on a promotion  ❗️ being seen as weak, imperfect or a poor performer  ❗️ letting people down ❗️ being indispensable ❗️ conflict or confrontation ❗️ rejection or job loss make us soldier on. The hope of change fuels us to keep going. But eventually, even that won't save us from burning out. If you’re in an under-resourced environment and struggling with your workload, standing up for your physical, emotional and mental needs is crucial. Otherwise, burnout will ensue. Take charge of what you can: ✅ Reduce overwhelm by creating a list of most critical/time-sensitive tasks and focus on those first. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable mini-goals. ✅ Block time for specific tasks, including breaks - eliminate distractions, and learn how to say “no” to additional workload and people (you can also say “I can’t do it now but I can do it *state time* or “colleague” can help you…) ✅ Communicate challenges and ask for guidance, tools and techniques from managers, mentors, HR, colleagues ✅ Learn/model influencing, selling and negotiating skills to increase your chances of making your needs heard and getting the resources or support you need ✅ Clarify your boundaries, communicate them and stand by them ✅ Seek professional help to work on what's stopping you from setting boundaries e.g. people pleasing, fears of saying no, perfectionism, FOMO, fear of job loss ✅ Update CV, LinkedIn profile, nurture your network, upskill to create psychological safety that if you lost your job, you’d find another one Sometimes the under-resourced state is temporary - and it's doing the best you can with the resources you have until the storm blows over. But if this is ongoing or permanent, and your employer isn’t willing to give you what you need to perform at your best, you must ask yourself: 1) What are you really doing this for? And 2) Is it worth it? What other advice would you give to anyone working in an under-resourced environment right now? #workstress #overworked #mentalhealth

Women already power a significant part of textile garmenting operations. Across many organised setups, representation ranges between 20–30%. Their presence is particularly strong in precision-driven functions such as stitching, where focus, discipline, and output stability consistently strengthen production outcomes. Earlier, extensive material handling limited wider participation in spinning units. With automation increasingly managing movement and logistics, those constraints are reducing. Today, skill and process orientation matter more than physical strength. When machines handle movement, capability drives production. This shift presents a meaningful opportunity. The next step requires deliberate design: • Clear career progression pathways • Continuous skill development • Leadership exposure at the shop-floor level Inclusion in manufacturing is a strategic choice. It strengthens quality standards, operational discipline, and long-term stability. This year’s Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” reminds us that when organisations invest in opportunity, training, and leadership pathways for women, the returns are visible in stronger teams, better performance, and more resilient systems. Women’s Day offers a moment to reflect, but the larger responsibility lies in building systems that enable capabilities to grow. Performance improves when opportunity is designed well. #IWD26 #InternationalWomensDay #GiveToGain #WomenInManufacturing #InclusiveGrowth #Leadership