Bridging America's Skills Gap - Paperback

by Mark Goodman (Author), Chris Harris (Author)

The skills gap in the United States is a genuine and pressing problem. At no other time in our history have we found ourselves in a state of severely diminished industrial and manufacturing capacity. Our nation is currently facing a shortage of qualified workers. This has caused multiple problems, including reduced productivity and millions of unfilled jobs, as well as hindering our ability to expand technological innovation. All businesses, regardless of size, sector, or industry, struggle to produce goods and services because of a lack of a skilled workforce.

So, how did we get here? We have spent the last four generations teaching our children the value of education and the importance of acquiring knowledge so that high-paying, white-collar job opportunities would be within their reach. Meanwhile, the older generations continued to use the knowledge they had gained through lifetimes of experience to keep manufacturing moving forward. No industry, technology, or core competencies are exempt from this. They are all suffering. We find ourselves in a position where workers with the required skills are retiring at an alarming rate. To make matters worse, there are not enough people with the capabilities to replace them.

10,000 baby boomers reach retirement age daily in the U.S., compounding our nation's ever-growing skills gap problem. With millions of jobs remaining unfilled due to an underskilled and undertrained workforce, our economic competitiveness is weakened, innovation is stifled, and upward mobility for countless individuals remains blocked. "Bridging America's Skills Gap" addresses the myriad of issues causing the workforce development crisis in the U.S. and offers practical strategies for correcting the problem. Whether you are an executive, business owner, training director, educator, or laborer, there's something in this book for you.