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Human Resource Executive: how to close America’s skills gap.

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Millions of Americans remain out of work. Businesses are struggling to find skilled employees. And the global digital transformation that began before the coronavirus pandemic continues to pick up speed.

This is the landscape of the 2021 economic recovery. A story of a dual-pronged skills gap that continues to grow. AI, machine learning and cloud computing on one side, and soft skills that can’t be automated on the other.

The solution, according to Scotty Parrish, senior vice president of client services total talent solutions at Randstad Sourceright, is an all-in upskilling and reskilling effort.

“To truly address this deficiency in skills, every stakeholder must take responsibility — including businesses, federal and state governments, as well as academia and employees themselves — to ensure that the labor force as a whole is equipped to thrive in the coming fourth industrial revolution,” she writes.

Employers around the world agree. Randstad Sourceright’s 2021 Talent Trends survey found that 40% of HR leaders say their organization has been negatively impacted by talent scarcity. These same respondents believe that skilling is a shared obligation. More than 90% say companies should be responsible, 68% want the government to play a supporting role and 65% think that universities can also contribute.

“Ultimately, all of this requires buy-in from workers who have to want to improve and broaden their skill set,” concludes Parrish. “Only through coordination and working together can America develop the world-class, highly skilled workforce needed to drive economic growth in the next decade and beyond.”

Read Parrish’s full article in Human Resource Executive for real-world examples of skilling solutions and insights on building your own. You can also download Randstad Sourceright’s 2021 Talent Trends Report, “Rewrite your talent strategy playbook during extraordinary times,” for deep insights about talent scarcity, workplace safety, employee engagement and more.