At the Center of the Workforce Equation: Why Coordination Matters More Than Ever
Key summary:
- Workforce challenges are systemic, requiring coordinated, ecosystem-level solutions rather than isolated fixes.
- Fragmented training pipelines must be aligned and standardized to enable scalable talent development.
- Intermediaries are essential in connecting employers, educators, and funders to drive industry-wide workforce impact.
By David Hernandez, Vice President, Education, Global Electronics Association
Workforce challenges may exist at multiple levels simultaneously. Skilled labor shortages by individual companies are typically a reflection of broader regional and industry challenges. This white paper produced by the Deloitte argues that in order to address workforce challenges is a particular region or industry there must be a “collective vision of the workforce development ecosystem as an ecosystem.” Ecosystems by their nature are dynamic, organic, and in a constant state of evolution. The paper argues that while there are small pockets of successful workforce pipelines, they are fragmented, isolated, and small. In order for a broader industry ecosystem to thrive, there must be a greater level of connection between those who develop the workforce solutions, those who deliver those solutions (training institutions), those who hire the outputs of those programs (employers), and those who can help support and fund implementation (government). I would argue that the central point of all of these stakeholders are the intermediaries such as the Global Electronics Association, who help connect the various players and facilitate the standardization and dissemination process.
For my second article I wanted to provide an example of how workforce standardization is helping another industry (clean energy) scale their workforce and address existing skill gaps. The article, and the report it references (Expansion of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Clean Energy) outline the effectiveness of an ecosystem approach to workforce, in which industry members work together (much like with the Standards process) to develop workforce solutions and implement them within their organizations. The underlining theme in the article and report is that by standardizing the workforce solutions at an industry level (as opposed to locally) the individual workers and companies benefit, but so does the broader industry. When I describe a trained workforce, I am referring to an industry wide pool of talent, where workers are trained on standardized programs that facilitate hiring, career development, and retention.
My last recommendation is an I-Connect SMT007 interview with Cory Blaylock, director of workforce partnerships and Vicki Hawkins, director of workforce grants and funding. In the interview they discuss the Global Electronics Association apprenticeship programs, how they are working to connect funders and employers, and provide some examples of successful implementations in our industry.