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Kentucky was coming off historic lows in unemployment, hovering around 4%, when the pandemic struck, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Record high unemployment sent that figure surging to 16.6% in April; then it normalized to just 4.3% (that same as 82,714 jobless).

Then, when COVID-19 rose again as of August 27, the Bluegrass spiked again approaching 48,000 cases. As we await this month’s unemployment data with cautious optimism, we’ve got our eyes on an action plan for this state with a historic and robust record in apprenticeship. It’s got a big claim to FAME in this regard – more about that below.

Navigating COVID-19 is challenging for private and public sector employers globally as they strategize and marshal resources to stabilize business operations and service delivery. Few might consider the pandemic as offering employers opportunities to rethink and re-imagine their ideal future workforce – taking a long-range perspective. Apprenticeship holds a lot of promise, even in uncertain pandemic times. And, you might be surprised to learn Kentucky businesses are still hiring apprentices during the crisis as hard data support.

Tech training is crucial

Whatever the role, training in digital technology is a must to revamp, adapt and update skills. New technology is eliminating many jobs that demand only repetitive tasks while creating jobs that involve training, managing and developing that new tech. That’s why people who can work with tech are in high demand.

Right now, though, many Kentucky employers simply want to maintain their workforces. Poor cash flow and reserves to pay workers make that tricky. If employers can avoid mass layoffs to keep employees on the payroll, this is reliable insurance for sustainability.

If Kentucky businesses need to shut down or shrink hours of operations again, and working from home isn’t feasible, employers should aim to fill staff members’ time with skills development, both technical and soft. Boost participation by offering incentives. Handing staff learning and development opportunities is a powerful tool for engaging and retaining them. It’s a cost-saving measure in the long-run that lifts morale.

Modern workers need to be tinkerers and problem-solvers. They must know how to ask questions, when and how to get help, how to work in teams and how to communicate effectively with machines, their coworkers and superiors, too. The pandemic demands they be flexible, adapt, and continuously learn new skills.

Employers and HR managers who take a long-range view will pull out all stops to help current, and future staff develop these skills. Organizations with remote workers should explore massive open online courses (MOOCs), Khan Academy, Udemy, Skillshare or Google Digital Garage for free online classes, some of which offer certification.

Establish or expand apprenticeships to build for the future

One lasting impact of the pandemic could be changed expectations for government’s role in the economy. All levels of governments will rethink the scope of services, particularly for disease prevention and maintaining social infrastructure. As services expand, training and employing more people for public sector jobs will be needed.

Agencies should consider investing in their own and Kentucky’s future by continuing to fund and sponsor apprenticeships throughout these challenging times. Serving an apprenticeship is a proven way to skill up and prepare for a public sector career in health care, public safety, infrastructure, cybersecurity, education, green sciences or law enforcement, for example. Now is the time to invest in individuals to strategically plan for workforce needs as localities and the economy recover.

Consider the example of Kentucky FAME. The Northern Kentucky FAME chapter (NKY FAME) became a non-profit in October 2015 and is now entering its fifth straight year of mentoring apprentices. (FAME stands for the Kentucky Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education, by the way.) In response to an expanded initiative in Kentucky to boost the number of registered apprenticeship programs across the state, the NKY FAME chapter unanimously decided to register its apprenticeship program with the Kentucky Cabinet for Education and Workforce Development, Office of Employer and Apprenticeship Services in December last year.
 
The chapter is the first registered FAME program in the Commonwealth and the second in the country. Eleven apprentices were registered at the start, and now, less than a year later, 22 have joined their ranks, with more joining this month.
 
Registered apprenticeship continues to be on the rise and gaining popularity in Kentucky, and across the United States.  Registered apprenticeships numbers have more than doubled in Kentucky in recent years.  Companies such as the Northern Kentucky FAME chapter have embraced registered apprenticeship to fill the regional demand for skilled labor in advanced manufacturing. 

They’ve also used it to:

• Leverage government subsidies for recruiting and technician sponsorship

• Offer economic security for the regional workforce; and 

• Strengthen individual businesses through skill development, employee engagement, and decreased turnover.

FAME is one example of Kentucky’s diverse apprenticeships, which have been on the books since the 1930s. Over 300 diverse businesses offer paid apprenticeships throughout the state to more than 4,000 apprentices, and there are more than 3,000 apprenticed occupations across the country. About 16,000 individuals have taken part in an apprenticeship in Kentucky since the US Department of Labor started tracking apprenticeship data in 2007. You might have heard of TRACK – Tech Ready Apprentices for Careers in Kentucky.

Many other employers in Kentucky also find that apprenticeship programs increase employee loyalty, engagement and productivity for apprentices and their mentors. And some organizations are successfully using apprenticeships to diversify their workforce, with positive effects for the employer and the community. Diversity creates a built-in focus group, offering rich insights into customer service and product development.

Now is the right time to start an apprenticeship program. The Federal Government recently set aside millions of dollars in grants for such initiatives through the US Department of Labor’s Closing the Skills Gap program. The University of Louisville notched $4 million for its students under this program. Funds are there for the asking for local and state governments, as well as private employers and non-profits.

The coming weeks and months could be the best window of opportunity this decade to recruit talented people through apprenticeships. It’s also a prime opportunity for organizations to integrate skills-building and professional development initiatives to ensure they have a more robust, better-prepared workforce.

Nicholas Wyman, MBA, is a future work expert and speaker, the president of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation America, and the author of Job U. Wyman has studied at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government, and he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship. He is on Linkedln. 

Learning pods are increasing in popularity for school students keen to pace through their online learning during the stop-and-go life that the pandemic induces. But, are adults in college or the workforce missing out on these ‘communities of practice’?

These communities bring a tribe of learners to tackle the content collectively, to share the learning process. It’s a network of people helping each other learn because they have a shared domain of interest. They’re about dynamic, three-dimensional learning and can include mentors or facilitators, too. Communities of practice aren’t a new concept, but they’ve proven a great way to make knowledge stick.

The missing link: digital transformation

Many colleges across the country shifting to entirely virtual delivery without lowering tuition fees – for who knows how long? The question some ask is how effective these non-face-to-face ‘communities of practice’ might be. Just transferring lectures and tutorials from in-person to remote, maybe adding online fora, does not build a community of learners. That’s not a digital transformation of e-learning. Online learning can gut the experience of learning on campus. It’s one prompt to ask whether college is worth the investment at this time.

There’s a more prominent notion here: The traditional classroom-centered college model is likely facing permanent disruption.
I’m noticing this as my teenage daughter considers if college is a worthwhile option for her. Indeed, the impact of COVID-19 has challenged the idea of ‘business as usual’. Along with – I suspect – many other students and parents, we’re taking a closer look at the costs and benefits of higher education.

Even before the pandemic, the economic realities of paying for college were stark. Enormous rates of student debt combined with less-than-ideal employment outcomes for graduates have been concerned for a while, and those concerns are only growing as the economy trembles. A recent survey found 93% of college and graduate students were uncertain about how they’ll continue to pay for their education.

What’s the ROI on a college degree?

So, what is the value of a bachelor’s degree in today’s job market? How prepared are graduates for employment so they can start earning stable wages and unshackle themselves of debt?

Employers often report that applied experience and demonstrable skills are what they need in candidates. A study by Gallup-Lumina found 34% of employers said they didn’t feel colleges were graduating students with the necessary competencies for hire. About seven in 10 employers said they’d hire based on applied skills and experience over whether or not the candidate held a degree. Even entrepreneur Elon Musk is questioning the value of degrees.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 5% of college graduates under the age of 25 were unemployed, and 10% were underemployed. In just the past 10 weeks, more than 40 million unemployment claims have been filed—the equivalent of a quarter of the US population. 

Between 1989 and 2016, the average annual cost of college more than doubled. This is growing at a rate eight times faster than wages in the same period. It’s no wonder, then, the number of students graduating with more than $50,000 in debt has also grown epically. That’s 8.5 times since 1992.

Is a four-year college degree still the gold standard for measuring job and career preparedness? I think it’s time to embrace other proven pathways to career success. Ones where robust learning pods and communities of practice are built-in and continue to be as powerful as ever.

So, if you or someone you know in the US is on a path to college, my recommendation is simple: do your due diligence. Get all the information you can and explore alternatives before you sign that promissory note on loan. And make sure there will be a learning pod or community of practice to help you learn so you can apply your knowledge.

Spend time exploring

Sure, the economy is in jitters, but future careers don’t have to be. There are a multitude of career pathways that don’t need an expensive bachelor’s degree. These pathways are more affordable, even free. Start looking at career and technical colleges. Importantly, you’ll learn with others – their communities of practice are baked in – because of the practical components.

An associate’s degree or trade-specific certification is exponentially cheaper than a bachelor’s degree and can see you working and earning. And in many cases, out-earning bachelor’s degree-holding peers in just two years. It can also serve as a springboard to a four-year degree later down the line. Better yet, a growing number of states are making their community colleges tuition-free.

Learn about jobs in one of the five industries people will always need education, health, shelter, energy, entertainment, and food. You can get your foot in the door on many of these jobs through two-year programs, apprenticeships, and other on-the-job learning opportunities. To broaden your scope, look at the industries that serve these big five industries listed above: for example, transportation serves the food industry, and telecommunications serves entertainment.

Consider modern apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships are career pathways that see you earn while you learn. One of the best aspects is people won’t be noosed to massive college debt. You’re not left to your own devices to learn (and I mean that electronically, too). You’ll at least have a mentor or supervisor, and often will be among a group of apprentices tackling the same content.

Workers that complete apprenticeship programs earn $300,000 more throughout their careers than high school graduates.

Apprenticeships are a proven way to set you on a clear path to employment and long-term career success—in practically any industry.

Start building skills, tuition-free

There is nothing stopping you from getting career and employment skills right away, starting today. Online courses allow anyone to reboot, boost, or enhance their skill set—cheaply, quickly, anytime, anywhere. Online learning makes it convenient and cost-effective to learn something practical and new from home. Many colleges and universities offer massive open online courses (MOOCs) that are available to everyone, everywhere on the planet.

Find out what skills you’ll need for your chosen career path, including technical skills, people skills, and personal attributes. Get feedback from your friends and family to identify gaps in your knowledge and experience. What do you need to work on? Is there an online course you can do to bridge the gap? 

But, be mindful many of us enroll for such courses, free or paid, and never rock up much online. The knowledge is out there, ready for you to make it your own, but without your tribe of learners, you may well be struggling to stick with it.

Above all, keep learning, no matter what stage of life or career, and bring your own tribe or lobby your education provider to help you set up one. Think of it as insurance to nudge you into the success zone.

 

Article by By Nicholas Wyman.

By Nicholas Wyman, MBA

Since the onset of COVID-19, everyone in the workforce has been forced to adapt to changes at an unprecedented rate.

Organisations raced to ensure they could continue operating and delivering services virtually, particularly in vital public markets like education and health care. Employers and their human resources departments continue to face new and difficult decisions every day. While the economic impact on

private sector businesses has been widely reported, the public sector has also been hit hard. Pew reported in mid-June that since March, when many institutions began closing, some 1.5 million education and government jobs had been lost. Overall, the public sector saw its highest jobless rate in nearly 20 years.

It is imperative to approach the ongoing crisis with honesty, directness and a long-range view on workforce development and employee engagement and retention. Because we will recover, but we will need new and adapted skills to complete the recovery.

Major Changes Arrived Quickly and Will Not Stop Soon

No one knows how long the threat of COVID-19 will last, but it is clear that this crisis will significantly alter our working methods and patterns. Lasting changes have already occurred. Telecommuting and remote working became the norm for millions of people practically overnight. The transition was particularly abrupt for many who had no prior experience working with tools like Zoom or Slack. Still, professionals such as health care providers and counselors shifted rapidly to telehealth platforms to continue safely providing important services.

Work processes and systems will continue evolving to meet needs of organizations and employees in the new model of distributed work. In particular, we can expect to see additional investments by businesses and government in digital infrastructure and online capabilities. Employers and managers should look for opportunities to innovate and build skills across the workforce. Now is the time to implement and assess how online platforms can improve operations. If optimal platforms are not already being used, employers should create accounts and set up organization-wide tutorials.

Training Employees on Technology Is a Must

Going forward, organization must develop operating processes and systems to withstand all disasters, not just pandemics. Even the normal pace of economic transformation demands revamping and adapting skills. New technology is eliminating jobs that demand only repetitive tasks. That same technology is creating jobs that involve maintaining, managing and developing the new technology. In other words, people who can work with technology are in demand. Right now, though, many employers simply want to maintain their workforces. Dwindling revenues and slashed budgets for paying workers make achieving that simple goal difficult. If at all possible, employers should avoid mass layoffs and keep employees on payroll because this is their best insurance for sustainability.

If shutting down or decreasing hours of operations again becomes necessary, and working from home is not feasible, employers should try to fill staff members’ time with skills development. Offering incentives can boost participation, but providing learning and development opportunities has been shown to be a powerful tool for engaging and retaining employees. Doing this can also boost morale. More than ever, workers need technical skills; they need to know how to run the programs and advanced technologies that increasingly make up the modern workplace. But there’s more to it than that.

Modern workers need to be tinkerers and problem-solvers. They need to know how to ask questions, when and how to get help, how to work in teams and how to communicate effectively with both machines and their coworkers. And, as the COVJD-19 crisis has reminded us, they need to be flexible, to adapt and to continuously learn new skills. Employers and HR managers who take a long-range view will use every tool at their disposal to help current and future staff develop these skills. Organizations with remote workers should explore massive open online courses (MOOCs), Khan Academy, Udemy, Skillshare or Google Digital Garage to find free online classes, some of which offer certification.

Establish or Expand Apprenticeships to Build for the Future

One lasting impact of the pandemic will likely be a change in expectations regarding the role for government in the economy. We can expect governments at all levels to reorient their thinking about the scope of services, particularly when it comes to disease prevention and maintaining social infrastructure. As services expand, training and employing more people for public sector jobs will become necessary. Agencies should consider investing in their own futures and the future of America by continuing to fund and sponsor apprenticeships throughout these challenging times. Serving an apprenticeship is a proven way to skill up and prepare for a public sector career in health care, public safety, infrastructure, cybersecurity or law enforcement, to name a few areas. Now is the time to invest in individuals who want to fill these essential roles and to strategically plan for workforce needs as localities and the economy
recover.

Many employers have also found that apprenticeship programs increase employee loyalty, engagement and productivity for both the apprentices and their mentors. And some organizations are successfully using apprenticeships to diversify their workforce, which has produced positive effects for the employer and the community.

Now is the right time to start an apprenticeship program. The federal government recently set aside millions of dollars in grants for such initiatives through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Closing the Skills Gap program, and funds are available to local and state governments, as well as private employers and nonprofits. The coming weeks and months could be the best window of opportunity this decade to bring in talented people through apprenticeships. This period also presents a prime opportunity for organizations to integrate skills-building and professional development initiatives to ensure they have a more robust, better-prepared workforce.

Nicholas Wyman, MBA, is a future work expert and speaker, the president of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation, and the author of Job U. Wyman has studied at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government, and he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship. He is on Linkedln.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in May 2020, youth unemployment dramatically spiked to more than 25 percent due to COVID-19.

“One of the biggest challenges that we face is that young people are often hardest hit during economic downturns. So we saw a decade ago that that young people quite often are laid off first when the economy starts to slow,” explained Nicholas Wyman Wyman has spent years helping businesses across many industries in Kentucky develop the next crop of young workers.

He says it’s more crucial now than ever for both the government and private companies to invest in youth workforce development. “In Kentucky, advanced manufacturing is going very strong, automotive manufacturers, right across that sector, health, I.T. These are all industries that young people can get a start, so maybe it’s a different way to enter the workforce, maybe your aspirations are to go to college, but maybe this isn’t the best time. So if you can get yourself some work in an industry that you’re interested in,” added Wyman.

Wyman says jobs in the hospitality and retail fields were some of the hardest-hit industries by COVID-19 restrictions, and according to data Wyman is seeing, many of these same jobs were held by young people between 16 and 19 years old. One major workforce development initiative that Wyman recommends for Kentucky businesses is to invest in apprenticeships.

“Youth apprenticeships is something that provides a real opportunity, and it’s important that companies keep investing in skills and post, I’d like to say post-COVID, but unfortunately we’ve still got ongoing effects that Kentucky is very robust,” mentioned Wyman. Wyman says while it will take some time, he believes the country will come out of this economic crisis stronger than ever, and he will attribute some of that success to employers across all industries investing in young workers.

What You Need To Know:

• Youth unemployment spiked to over 25 percent due to pandemic

• Expert says youth should consider work in an industry they’re interested in vs. attending college

• Also says businesses should consider apprenticeships

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2020/07/13/young-people-and-the-coronavirus#

Employers should take a long-range view, especially in times of crisis.

By Nicholas Wyman, business.com writer | Jun 24, 2020

https://www.business.com/articles/beyond-covid-19-to-build-workforce/

It’s a bumpy road to a post-COVID-19 recovery. Countries that have declared themselves free from the coronavirus are trying to snap their economies back into action and fend off the dreaded second wave.

They offer some insight into what lies ahead for the U.S. and what we are already dealing with: paralyzing business uncertainty, disrupted global supply chains and school education, food insecurity, erupting inequalities, and shifts in trading partners.

And this is what the U.S. looks like to outsiders. As a business owner operating within North America’s borders, you might feel like giving up. More information can breed confusion and inaction, but it doesn’t have to.

I’d like you to consider taking a long-range view to anchor your thinking and to help you navigate through the impacts of COVID-19. An anchor moving you along? Sounds counterintuitive. Think of it as a temporal guide that is both about time and being more worldly.

The temptation is to focus on what’s close at hand – your business and your customers – just to get by and get through this. Gritted teeth and tentative steps. Recruitment is the last thing on your list, but could that hinder the sustainability of your business?

Employers, you should look squarely at COVID-19 and beyond to build a workforce starting now. Hear me out; there’s a rationale here that I hope might intrigue you.

• Cocooning your business within your comfort zone offers little cushioning to pivot against future uncertainty.
  
• A “tweak and business as usual” approach isn’t your best bet. “Be different” could be your new motto. “Pivot” is this year’s buzzword for a reason.
  
• Position yourself as a vector of positivity with a healthy dose of reality. Think Dr. Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset.
  
• Train your sights on the sectors that are sparking our economy back to life and how your business can connect to them. There’s a host out there once you start looking. 
  
• Scrutinize your news feed for sage advice, subsidies, and grants; there’s plenty out there to tap into.
  
• Put the end-user of your product or service first, not your customer – successful businesses do this.
  
• Rewrite your playbook in business. This is time to work in and on your business, but you’ve got to really mean it this time. Small businesses can be nimble, so they are better positioned than behemoth enterprises.
  
• Consider if and how trainees and modern apprentices could be an excellent fit for your business sustainability.
  
• Short of time to strategize? Look at what chunks of your business you can automate or delegate, such as to virtual staff – freelancers, gig economy workers – for project work.
  
• Take solace that these successful companies started in a recession: FedEx, Disney, Microsoft, HP, Hyatt, Uber, Airbnb, and General Motors. They weren’t the norm, but would you want to be in these circumstances?

Whatever the industry, it is unlikely anyone will be returning to “business as usual.” There will be long-lasting, even permanent shifts, in many markets, as consumption patterns and shopping habits evolve post-pandemic. At the same time, remote work and other shifts in how we work, rapidly adopted of necessity in crisis, are likely to become permanent features. You know this.

Many businesses want to keep staff on but face fewer customers or forced closures with little cash flow to cover wages. Mothballing your business or shutting it full stop rather than going bankrupt might sound like a solid option. But, you’ll be on the back foot when the economy gets going again. The goodwill you’ve built up in your business will vanish.

There’s help for businesses to avoid mass layoffs and keep workers on their payrolls: free advisory services, loan resources and local assistance via the U.S. Small Business Administration or your local district, for example. Experience is an expensive teacher. Why not talk to other business owners, listen to their advice and gain insights from others’ mistakes so you can track your path to continuous learning about business?

Then go to the people who know your business challenges intimately. Quiz your staff about their ideas to help your business pivot, because they have definitely got skin in the game. What have they heard from their own network? Can they see connections for opportunities you can’t?

If you’re lucky enough to have a workforce that celebrates diversity – not just in name – ask yourself if there are different countries that might find your products and services beneficial? Perhaps an ideal market is in another region, country or continent than the one in which you’ve been operating. You won’t know unless you read widely, talk to people extensively and get active on the business powerhouse that’s LinkedIn.

In the short term, consider lifting your profile by making a meaningful contribution to your community, whether that is done by repurposing your facilities, managing volunteer efforts or forming an innovative partnership with another company. Orienting locally during a crisis can have profound positive effects on the health of the community and businesses.

You’re not alone, even though every business situation is unique. Be open to solutions and innovations, both locally and internationally. Get inspired by what other companies are doing across the globe, thanks to the World Economic Forum, too.

We’ve seen innovation in the retail sector. During the shutdown, restaurants pivoted to home deliveries where they could. Now, where they’re reopening, companies such as Presto have stepped in to hand them a free app to make safe, contactless dining a possibility. You’ve also heard of manufacturers switching over to making in-demand health products.

Being different (to your competition and your pre-COVID-19 setup) could well be how businesses will prosper, although there will be major losses in some sectors of the economy. COVID-19 will create more opportunities for businesses providing technology and data-driven products and services in areas such as supply chain logistics, cloud IT, and automation, as companies seek to develop operating processes and systems which can withstand future shocks of this nature. How can your business operate in one of those ecosystems by finding a connection?

While you might be tempted to keep a steely focus on your customer as always right, look beyond the direct buyer of your product or service to the actual end user. Follow their behavior. It’s more nuanced than just keeping your customers’ customers happy. Consider who is in the ecosystem in which your business operates.

A study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Marketing confirmed this. Researchers used artificial intelligence to find that successful companies no longer put their customers first. They instead focused their marketing on building relationships across industries. In addition, they were alert to the end user of their product or service, which wasn’t always their direct customer. 

That long-range view makes sense for building your workforce with trainees or apprentices who you can expect to be with you on your business journey through and out of COVID-19. It’s a way to build diversity, engender loyalty and mold your team members so they earn while they learn, and gain nationally recognized qualifications. America’s apprenticeship system has bipartisan support and is all the stronger for that. It needs to be.

The jobs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution demand broad, agile skill sets. Hopefully, we are looking at a new era of investments in training that address existing shortages and meet the workforce expansion opportunities that will come out of this crisis.

Flexibility and understanding are how businesses will get through this.

https://www.business.com/articles/beyond-covid-19-to-build-workforce/