Preparing for the jobs of the future is essential for employers to stay competitive and ensure the success and adaptability of their workforce. In my home state of Michigan, for example, automotive companies like Ford are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to upskill their workforce in electric vehicle (EV) technology and digitalization.
Yet, skill shortages are hitting this industry, especially regarding workers with advanced engineering and digital skills. Building the workforce of the future has its challenges, so I would like to share some strategies we’re embracing in Michigan to better position employers, organizations, and employees for success in the jobs of the future.
1. Streamline Resources from Your Community
Talent acquisition has always been a fierce competition. Employers usually compete on compensation and benefits. But the rules of the game have changed. Workers also are demanding flexibility, community and an inclusive culture.
In this environment, collaboration is as important as competition. This rings especially true for building the workforce of the future as industries and technologies collide. A community-based approach provides full support and proactive career guidance for potential employees by connecting them with local employers and supporting them financially, when possible, through grants and scholarships supported by the government.
An example of a community-based talent approach is Michigan’s Talent Action Team, a public-private partnership between 20-plus major Michigan employers, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, education leaders, and training providers. The goal is to deliver tailored solutions to Michigan businesses and job seekers alike. In 2023, Michigan had more than 3,000 jobs available in the EV and mobility sector for emerging and skilled workers that employers told us were critical to fill for current and future success.
By meeting with employers, we were able to identify the heightened need for two post-secondary degree jobs and two trades-aligned production jobs specific to these industries and drilled down to competencies and use cases for each position. The state then unveiled a digital marketing campaign focused on leveraging social media to accrue leads to fill the positions outlined by employers. In our ads, we positioned the EV and mobility sector as a high-tech industry, not the industry of our fathers and grandfathers. This collaborative approach to recruitment has resulted in the placement and upskilling of more tan 1,600 people in the first nine months of the campaign.
2. Cultivate Talent at Every Stage and Start Early
The best way to train the future workforce is to start working with potential talent as early as possible, especially in primary grades. Regardless of age and education level, building excitement and consistent exposure throughout a student’s PK-12 experience is key to capturing the attention of the future workforce toward industries and careers of the future. One thing is clear: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) careers will play a vital role in the future of work. A few pathways to build a STEAM pipeline include:
- Implement STEAM-skills curricular units relevant to workforce needs in classroom lesson plans in schools, starting as early as preschool, through high school, and into post-secondary institutions. Integrating the subject matter and familiarizing students with how the technology of the future works with exposure to employers and their jobs helps to introduce future potential talent to the industry.
- Make programs available during class time and after school. By infusing the STEAM curriculum beyond the classroom, it threads the needle of career opportunities starting from an early age. For example, Toyota recently partnered with Washtenaw Intermediate School District area schools and Eastern Michigan University as part of its Driving Possibilities initiative that aims to close educational gaps for all students through innovative, hands-on STEAM programming that leverages unique assets and resources in the equal-partner relationship.
- Invest in upskilling programs in key industry sectors, such as EVs, which support the lifelong learner looking to grow their career. Directly funding schools, as Michigan has done with its $2.35 million investment into Ferris State University, Schoolcraft College, and Macomb Community College, will help to increase their capacity to train students in EV/mobility occupational needs.
The right strategic investments with educational partners can create opportunities for students often missed in traditional talent pools and encourage them to take jobs in their local communities, crucial to talent retention and population growth. Local companies and employers can lend their resources and expertise to their community in so many ways, including participating in industry advisory boards, providing specific in-classroom programming, donating equipment to schools, collaborating on professional development sessions, and hosting teacher externships. By staying connected to their future talent in all these ways, employers support future workers to become more familiar with jobs right in their own communities.
3. Provide as Many Paths to Success as Possible
Empowering the talent pool of the future requires talent leaders to even the playing field for young students and seasoned employees alike. Certificate programs, scholarships, and internships are all great tactics for training and meeting the workforce of the future, no matter where they are. These paths provide opportunities for future employees to land good-paying jobs with benefits that are close to home, all at little to no cost to them.
Some paths include:
- Certificate programs and subsidizing the programs with local governments when possible can meet the entry-level and upskilling needs of local employers, ensuring the workforce is trained for open jobs and can pursue career growth.
- Scholarships for students studying topics critical to the industries of the future. Michigan recently launched a campaign with the goal of rewarding scholarships to top tech students across the state to address the state’s surging EV and mobility sector and fast-growing semiconductor sector.
- Community colleges, which can flex their programming quicker based on the needs of the local economy, provide an affordable option for degree-seekers. This allows employers to tap into a much broader talent pool for multiple types of positions.
The tools to prepare the workforce of the future are here. With collaboration across entities such as local industry, schools, and government, communities across our country can successfully create a prepared and motivated workforce that supports long-term economic growth and sustainability.
