Work In Progress

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Dr. Angela Jackson joins me fresh off the Win-Win Workplace Summit in Chicago. The Summit, co-founded by Jackson and Jamai Blivin, brought together business leaders from around the country to discuss how, as employers, you can better engage your workforce and give them a sense of purpose and dignity. The reason to do so? Thriving employees are good for business. Here's some of what we learned at the Summit and Jackson and I discuss in the podcast: Employers are increasingly focused on getting more out of their existing workforce rather than just hiring new talent, recognizing employees as a powerful but underutilized asset. Leading companies are using data and analytics to deeply understand their workforce, identify skills and growth opportunities, and create personalized development and support for employees. Engaging and empowering frontline managers is crucial, as they have the biggest impact on employee experience and retention. Employers that address employee needs beyond just compensation, such as commute times, caregiving responsibilities, and work-life balance, see benefits in terms of higher productivity, engagement, and loyalty. Measuring the return on investment of investing in employees, through metrics like turnover rates and asset growth, is key to justifying these strategies at the business level. You can listen to the entire podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Dr. Angela Jackson's new book is Win-Win Workplace. She is also the founder of the Future Forward Institute WorkingNation was a media partner on the Win-Win Workplace Summit. Episode 365: Dr. Angela Jackson, author, Win-Win WorkplaceHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episode

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Casie Wise, senior program manager for the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), a nonprofit advocating and advancing comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Native Americans have the highest unemployment rate of any racial or ethnic minority group in the U.S.,and lower graduation rates and achievement gaps compared to their white peers. There are manyreasons for this, including long-term and systemic disparities. The NIEA was founded in 1969 to advocate for Native education at the federal, state, and tribal levels, particularly working to ensure appropriate funding and tribal consultation, develop culturally-relevant education programs, and support the sovereignty of tribes to control their own education systems. 95% of Native students are attending public schools. While some are on reservation land, the majority of students are not attending school in a tribal community. Whether public or tribally-controlled, the school is a critical base in the community. Despite progress, Native Americans continue to face disparities in educational outcomes and economic mobility compared to their peers. Casie Wise explains that the NIEA works to address these gaps through policy advocacy, community partnerships, and programs that reconnect students to their cultural heritage and languages. Successful initiatives highlighted include career pathway programs, language immersion, and school-community collaborations. Overall, the NIEA's work is critical to empowering Native students, preserving cultural identity, and building sustainable economies in more than 574 federally recognized tribes. You can listen to the entire podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 359: Casie Wise, senior program director, National Indian Education AssociationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we discuss the impact of closing the digital divide, how it can connect learners, workers, and jobseekers to new opportunities for economic mobility, and how it could can new jobs around the country. Joining me in the conversation recorded at the Connected America conference in Dallas are Gary Bolton, president & CEO, Fiber Broadband Association; Eric Frederick, chief connectivity officer, State of Michigan; and Robin Olds, broadband program officer, Cisco. Millions of Americans lack reliable or affordable broadband access, which puts them at a disadvantage for education, work, and health care. Closing the digital divide is critical to enable economic mobility and growth, especially in rural and underserved areas. Without reliable, affordable broadband access, many will continue to be left behind, according to my guests. The federal government has allocated over $42 billion to help states build broadband infrastructure and create adoption/training programs. For example, Michigan is using these funds to connect unserved communities, while also focusing on digital inclusion by making broadband affordable and teaching people how to use it. Expanding broadband will create economic opportunities, boost rural GDP, and enable access to remote work and telehealth. However, there is a shortage of trained fiber optic technicians needed to build the infrastructure. Companies like Cisco are helping to fill this workforce gap by providing training programs and working with communities and service providers to deploy broadband solutions. Listen to the conversation here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 362: Closing the Digital Divide with Gary Bolton, Eric Frederick, and Robin OldsHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Dane Linn, senior vice president of corporate initiatives for the Business Roundtable, to discuss second chance hiring and how opening the door to people who are justice-impacted is good for the individual, society, and the economy. More inclusive hiring is a powerful way to break the cycle of poverty for many Americans. When people are given a fair opportunity to participate in the workforce, our economy and society are stronger. For the 70 million people in this country who have been touched by the justice system, having a criminal record often makes it harder for them to find employment. For some, a conviction, and even a brush with the law without a conviction, can become the equivalent of a life sentence when it comes to trying to reenter the workforce. "We're talking about more people than those who've been in jail. Some of these individuals have a minor offense and that minor offense has crippled their ability to seek any employment opportunity," says Linn. The Second Chance Business Coalition – an initiative of the Business Roundtable – is committed to second chance hiring, expanding opportunities to jobs, careers, and greater upward mobility for this population. There are more than 2.3 million people currently behind bars in the U.S. Once released, more than two-thirds of these individuals will likely end up as repeat offenders because they can't find jobs once released. Barring individuals who are justice-impacted from the workforce means they have a greater risk of ending up in poverty. It also decreases the amount of federal, state, and local taxes being added to the economy. "The cost to the U.S. economy, between $78 and $87 billion, is not insignificant. But let's make no mistake about it, this Second Chance Business Coalition is not just a charitable endeavor. This is a business imperative, important for companies to meet the [talent] supply problem they have. "It's important to provide individuals with an equal opportunity to work in corporate America and advance in corporate America. And it's important to ensure our ability as a country to maintain our economic competitiveness and in some cases not depend or not have individuals depend on public assistance in some cases for which they don't want to depend on. "They want to be contributing members to society just as much as anyone else and giving them an opportunity to work in corporate America is one way to do that." JPMorgan Chase and Eaton were among the founding members of the Coalition which now totals 52 large companies. "We've all been given second chances. When you talk about it that way with employers – 'You may not have a criminal record, but at some point along the way you've been given a second chance' – there's interest in hiring individuals with records. "We illuminate or illustrate that idea by bringing in individuals to [our] convenings who have actually have a criminal record and hear about the struggles they've had, but also that an employer took a chance on them and gave them an opportunity to have a job and what that meant to them and the contributions they've made." Linn says in addition to making the case for impact of second chance hiring, they provide employers with the tools and resources so they can effectively implement second chance hiring within their own companies. He says this approach is making a difference. "Eighty percent of the companies who participate in the coalition now review individual candidates individually without hard stops on certain conviction types and 60% partner or contract with reentry or other organizations to administer the hiring or the support programs for employees with criminal backgrounds. "I think that's pretty impressive for four years." In our conversation, Linn and I go into details on how companies are implementing second chance hiring and the impact itis having for people who are justice-...

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Sara Vander Zanden, director of Jobs for the Future (JFF), joins me to discuss the Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Future (CREST), a green jobs creation initiative funded by the Ares Charitable Foundation in partnership with JFF and World Resources Institute (WRI). Earth Day marks the third anniversary of CREST, which aims to train and place 25,000 people in quality green jobs by 2027. The program emphasizes working with community-based organizations to create these jobs, particularly in regions experiencing challenges created by climate change. Key goals include increasing awareness of what constitutes a "quality green job" and leverages regional expertise to match job opportunities to local climate risks and needs. "Essentially, a green job is anything that integrates green skills. You can think of any traditional industry, you can think of construction, you can think of manufacturing, you can think of textiles or energy. There are ways to make all of these industries and all of these jobs green through the integration of green skills," explains Vander Zanden. The jobs are being created through partnerships with six community organizations that were chosen from a pool of 101 applicants through the JFF Quality Green Jobs Regional Challenge. They will include training programs and earn-and-learn opportunities. "They know their communities. They know the climate risks. They know the job opportunities, the industries, the employers, who's looking for workers. They know what workers need in terms of wraparound supports. The regions are telling us here is where we need to lean in," she explains. The focus is on creating high-wage, benefit-rich jobs that provide flexibility and dignity. In the podcast, Vander Zanden describes a quality green job, as defined by JFF' job quality framework. "Some of those main components are high wages where you can sustain a family. We think about benefits, comprehensive benefits that allow you to take care of yourself and your family and your health. We think about growth opportunities within a company or organization. "We think about flexibility to shape your schedule. Knowledge of what your schedule and hours are going to be a couple of weeks in advance, you can plan your life around that. And we also think about dignity. Does this job make you feel more whole as a person? Does it honor who you are and the skills that you bring?" What is at stake for the communities trying to battle the negative impact of climate change by creating quality green jobs? Which communities and regions are in the CREST initiative? What progress have CREST and its job-creation partners made so far? And where do they hope to be in the next few years? Find out in the podcast, which you can listen to here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Read, watch, and listens to more stories about the CREST initiative in our WorkingNation digital magazine produced in partnership with Jobs for the Future: Quality Jobs, Green Future Episode 361: Sara Vander Zanden, director, Jobs for the Future (JFF)Host & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, Dr. Sally Saba, vice president and global chief inclusion and diversity officer for Medtronic and president of Medtronic Foundation, joins me to discuss the organization's Medtronic Spark initiative, a ten-year global committment to introduce one million students from low-income households into high-paying health tech careers. Technology has transformed the health care sector for the past few decades, from robotics to wearable technology, to telemedicine, and, of course, artificial intelligence. This is creating a huge and growing talent gap in health tech, both in the U.S. and around the world. And the way you do those jobs is also changing. "They say between around 11 million of shortages just within the next four to five years. You add onto that how AI is going to transform and evolve the landscape of education faster than people can keep up," says Dr. Saba. The Medtronic Spark initiative intends to prepare one million workers for those jobs today and in the future. "They say that 65% of students in schools today will work in jobs that don't even exist yet, and 45% of the workforce today will need new reskilling to even be able to keep up with that future." Saba adds. In the podcast, she explains that initiative will focus on students through high school, right before they start looking at their careers. 'We don't want to touch lives, we want to change the trajectory of lives,' Saba says. Medtronic Spark will be a combination of online and hands-on training, with a focus on making it accessible for low-incoming families. It will include three main components: innovation labs for students to tinker with technology, scholarships to help students graduate, and job-ready credential programs in high-demand health care technology roles like clinical mapping and pacemakers. Medtronic employees will be able to get involve by sponsoring students, providing mentorship, and helping designing credentialling programs. Medtronic is in 150 countries and 40% of the initial programing will be in the U.S. Find out more details of the initiative in the podcast, which you can listen to here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 360: Dr. Sally Saba, VP Chief Global Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Medtronic; President, Medtronic FoundationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we dive into the significant contribution that immigrants and foreign-born workers already make to our economy and explore ways to create better pathways to economic mobility through education and training. In March, at SXSW EDU in Austin, WorkingNation brought together business, education, and nonprofit leaders for a discussion on the subject. Joining me on stage at the conference were Katie Brown, founder and chief education officer for EnGen; Jina Krause-Vilmar, CEO of Upwardly Global; and Arturo Cázares, CEO of Latino Business Action Network. There are 47.8 million immigrants in our country. That's about 14% of the population. One in five workers in our country is an immigrant. Immigrants and foreign-born workers generate trillions in economic activity and tax revenue. Economists argue that reducing immigration could have a major negative impact on GDP growth. The immigrant workforce is diverse, touching every industry and community. Immigrants have a range of educational and skill levels, from low-wage workers to entrepreneurs to highly-educated professionals. And there are barriers to economic mobility for all levels of the immigrant population. These hurdles include lack of English skills, difficulties getting professional credentials and qualifications earned in other countries recognized in the U.S., lack of access to capital, and lack of access to career navigation and support services. My conversation with Brown, Krause-Vilmar, and Cázares looks at those barriers and what is being done to break them down for the contribution by immigrants to our economic growth can be even greater. The podcast here also includes the lively discussion with the audience members who joined us in the room. My thanks to the panelists and the audience, and to SXSW EDU for giving us the stage for this important conversation. I also want to share my gratitude and thanks to my colleague Laura Aka for bringing this panel together and sharing her insights and knowledge with us on the subject. I encourage everyone to take the time to listen. You can listen to the full podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 359: From SXSW EDU: Katie Brown, Jina Krause-Vilmar, and Arturo CázaresHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Jamie Merisotis, president & CEO of Lumina Foundation, to discuss the foundation's goal to help more Americans obtain a credential beyond high school, one that leads to lifelong economic stability and prosperity. One of the core principals of Lumina Foundation's mission is the idea that "education should remain accessible, valuable, and align with today's workforce needs." In 2008, Lumina set a goal of 60% of working-age adults with college degrees, certificates, or industry-recognized certifications by 2025. Today, the number of adults with one of those credentials of value has risen from 38% to 55%. "It's one of the greatest social progress examples that we can see in the last 20 years," says Merisotis. "That's led to literally millions of adults being able to get more education training, get new and better jobs in their field, earn more money, and, in general, become better citizens and participants in their community." While Lumina celebrates the progress made over the last two decades, Merisotis says the demand for talent in the American labor force has never been higher, with most jobs soon requiring some form of post-high school credential. He points to several studies, including one from Georgetown University forecasting that 72% of jobs by 2031 will require a post-high school credential of some type. So, Lumina has set a new goal: 75% of adults with a credential of value by 2040. Whether its a college degree or an industry-recognized credential, it needs to ultimately lead to a career with financial stability. Lumina's new goal focuses on increasing access, completion, and ensuring credentials have real value in terms of higher wages, career growth, and adaptability. "The truth is you do earn more and you have more stability and greater long-term security and ultimately prosperity if you get higher credentials. But it doesn't mean that everyone should start aspiring to a bachelor's degree. It could be that they need this industry-recognized credential to get them into the labor force or to get them onto the ladder of opportunity. "What's really important, in our view, is that people are able to earn family-sustaining wages that allow them to have stability in their lives, but that also gives them a chance to continue to grow. "We believe that these shorter term credentials, the quality ones, certainly do provide that. The ones that add the wage benefits, et cetera, do that. And at the same time, they create pathways for further learning, which leads to greater advancement," Merisotis tells me. In the podcast, we discuss some of the challenges that still exist for Americans trying to obtain those credentials that lead to economic prosperity. "Access is a combination of things. It's like a three-legged stool of things that create barriers to access – finance, social, and academic. We tend to focus a lot on the finance side – because costs are high – but we tend not to focus on the real-life circumstances of the students or their shortcomings academically. "For these students who are low-income, or rural, or coming from communities of color, creating more assurance that the process itself is simpler and easier for them to get through, so that admissions isn't difficult, is really important." Merisotis says that for students who feel marginalized, there needs to be more awareness that there is tutoring, mentoring, and other supports that provide "opportunities for them to be successful when they get in, but also to help them get through." Merisotis and I also go deeper into what makes a credential valuable in today's workforce – yes, we do talk about AI – and how Lumina Foundation intends to achieve its goal of 75% of working-age adults having those credentials in our conversation. I encourage you to listen! You can listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about the integral role adult basic education plays in helping working-age adults achieve literacy and numeracy, increasing their employability. My guests are Sharon Bonney, CEO of Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), and Jacqueline Aguilera, project manager for Houston Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy. Adult basic education covers a range of literacy skills beyond just reading and writing, including numeracy, critical thinking, digital literacy, and contextual skills for careers and life. COABE works to inspire educators and help adults succeed, with national, state, and local partnerships to provide education and skills training for adult learners. Bonney says it is a vast network. "We work with many different partners, over a hundred national partners such as IBM SkillsBuild, Google, Amazon, and Tyson Foods. There's 49 state partners that we work with called State Associations. We have over 2,300 local programs and then we also have 60,000 individual members," she explains. Bonney adds that adult education programs serve a diverse population with significant barriers to employment and economic mobility, including migrants, those who have aged out of foster care, the homeless, formerly incarcerated, and immigrants. The Houston Mayor's Office for Adult Literacy is one of those local programs. "Some individuals need language skills. They need career prep. They need pre-skilling or upskilling. There are different types of programs that actually help to connect the learners to career opportunities. That is very important because adult ed is a talent pool developer," says Aguilera, who manages that program. Bonney continues, "They're working with learners with the most barriers to life and employment, and they have a great success rate. Helping get people to work, and helping to break generational curses. We're helping to feed these learners into the workforce and into community college." Adult education matters and it makes a difference to the community, says Aguilera. "Passion, commitment, and the dedication to the success of not only the individuals, but of the community and the families, and then the impact that they can have, again, returning to the economic health of the city, which benefits the states, which benefits the nation." Bonney, Aguilera, and I discuss how, despite their enormous impact, these programs are often significantly underfunded and how they try to overcome that. You can listen to the entire podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 357: Sharon Bonney, CEO, COABE, and Jacqueline Aguilera, Houston Mayor's Office for Adult LiteracyHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Jane Swift, president of Education of Work, for a discussion on the importance of work-based learning in preparing college students for careers and how the national nonprofit is championing the mission. Recent grads trying to launch their careers sometimes find they don't have the experience that employers are looking for to fill their open jobs, even entry-level jobs. Education at Work is trying to bridge that gap between academics and the workforce by connecting college students with top employers to give them valuable work experience. Swift explains that Education at Work is hired by these employers to fill specific roles and are given a certain number of hours to cover. She says there are other organizations out there providing contract workers, but "the real magic happens because we are one of the few, maybe the only provider who is doing this at scale with college students in a part-time role. "Our students actually prefer the times that many full-time employees do not want to work. We'll work on weekends. We will work evenings, and the definition of evenings is even different for our students. That also allows us to schedule them in hours that don't conflict with their academic responsibilities." Swift says that while some employers have been initially hesitant to hire young adults in college, but they are persuaded by the data that shows these college students are exceptional employees. "We have super ambitious, hardworking students and that I think is a surprise to them. We can show them that 'yes, you can use college students in a part-time role to fill a job, you're already struggling to fill with a full-time worker.' "And having that data is really why we think we're growing so fast right now because folks are like, 'Whoa. Your students perform better than seven other outsourced providers who are using the traditional model.'' Swift says this model has been shown to help students, many of whom are from underrepresented backgrounds, develop the skills and experience needed to secure good first jobs after graduation. Listen to the entire podcast to learn about the types of jobs these college students are working in, and how Education at Work is working to support students holistically to help them navigate their transition to the professional world. You can listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 356: Jane Swift, President, Education at WorkHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about the American Dream: What it means to young people and what they think is standing in the way of them achieving it. My guest is Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA, whose new study says the American Dream remains desirable but feels out of reach to most Gen Z Americans. Young people born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s fall into the demographic commonly called Generation Z, or Gen Z. Like any generation, they are diverse, coming from different economic, social, geographical, and cultural backgrounds. What they all have in common is that they spent their formative years growing up in the digital world of social media and smart phones. And this seems to have played a major role in how they view the American Dream. More about that in a moment. The American Dream: We Want It, But Will We Ever Get it? The study from the Center for Scholars and Storytellers at UCLA finds that young people say economic and financial challenges – including the high cost of education – are making achieving the American Dream feel increasingly unattainable to them, Dr. Uhls tells me. According to the study, 60% of the young people surveyed say "the American Dream is realistic and achievable for most people in today's society, but 60% also say it would be difficult to achieve it themselves personally." "We thought maybe they were redefining the American Dream and thinking perhaps the American Dream meant clean air or community stuff, but in fact they still believe in the American Dream. Maybe not believe in it, but they want the American Dream," Dr. Uhls tells me. "Everybody wants to succeed in the way that their family did or even more than their family did, but they don't believe that they can achieve it. And that is based on the reality of their lives. There is such income and inequality; it is just increasing. They also don't believe that the system works. They don't believe that politics work, education is broken. "The things that are meant to be able to lift us up and get you on a path of economic stability, unfortunately is not really prevalent in today's society, in particular from those from lower-income families," says Dr. Uhls. I ask her what she believes is driving that idea that other people are achieving financial and career success, but it is going to pass me by.. That's where social media plays a big role. How Social Media Is Shaping Gen Z's View of the American Dream Among the study's finding, Gen Z are forming their perceptions about the American Dream from social media, with 50% saying Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube – and to some extent Facebook and X – are the biggest influences on how they view the American Dream "There's so many get-rich-quick schemes on social media. Everybody is portraying themselves as having more than they really do. And when you're young and you don't have the life experience to think, 'Well, is that real, or maybe they are putting on a game face?,' you may believe it more. "It's nothing new. It's just more accessible and it's all over and in many different domains because everyone can do this and they can look at it all the time on their phones anywhere. So it can really influence the way someone feels about themselves and the way that they feel about their ability to be like someone else. "I'm a developmental psychologist. We have a term called social comparison. Not a very complicated term, but it is a theory that was developed 70 years ago about how we compare ourselves to others to understand how to be in the world, and there's upward social comparison and downward social comparison. "Upward social comparison where you're looking at someone that's achieved a great deal can often make you feel worse because you feel that you can never get there. Every once in a while it can inspire you, but a lot of times it can make you feel worse and you...

In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about one of the many weapons in the battle for talent in the U.S. – employer-paid education benefits. Joining me in the conversation is Bijal Shah, the CEO of Guild, which delivers customized workforce and skilling solutions for companies through online and in-person courses. Our discussion is centered around the critical need for talent development, especially in the face of rapid technological changes. "The problem that we see in the United States isn't just a U.S. problem; it's a global problem," says Shah. Analysis released by the World Economic Forum in January concludes that by 2030, 92 million jobs will be displaced. But the number of new jobs will be almost double that in the same time period. And they predict that the United States will soon face the tightest labor market in more than six decades.  That means employers will be competing with each other for talent. The employer-provided education benefit could be a deciding factor for a job seeker or for an employee trying to decide whether they want to stay with the company or leave. What makes it attractive to potential and current workers? The idea that your employer is paying for you to learn important skills, which could lead to industry credentials which could lead to economic mobility. "Accounting for the diverse needs of an employee population means offering a mix of learning programs through the education benefit: foundational learning programs (high school completion and English language learning), short-form (certificates and bootcamps), and degrees (associate's and bachelor's) — all suited to the needs of working adult learners," according to Guild.  "We optimize our learning for working adult learners," Shah explains. "That is the population that we are most focused on. Any kind of asynchronous and online learning you can do is just really helpful when you think about the flexibility that these individuals need, when you think about the fact that they sometimes work on nights and weekends, and they don't usually have traditional hours or traditional jobs." In the podcast, Shah and I discuss some of the types of training in specific industries that employers are adding to their education benefits and where she is seeing the biggest demand. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 354: Bijal Shah, CEO, GuildHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about skills-first hiring, the policy of hiring based on talent and skills as opposed to a degree or job title. Opportunity@Work has been a long-time advocate for skills-first hiring as a pathway to good careers and economic mobility through its Tear the Paper Ceiling awareness campaign. Skills-first proponents are calling on employers to remove four-year degree requirements for thousands of high-wage jobs to open up opportunity to more people. The nonprofit's chief impact office Papia Debroy and its vice president of STARs policy Blair Corcoran de Castillo join me on the podcast to discuss a new study of the impact of prioritizing skills over degrees in hiring in state government. Skills-First Hiring = More Opportunity for STARs "There are about 60 million workers who have a bachelor's degree or a higher level of educational attainment. Obviously, these workers have traversed a critical pathway in our U.S. labor force," explains Debroy. "But, in addition to them, there are 70 million who have a high school diploma, do not have a bachelor's degree, but have been bringing extraordinary skills to work. These are workers who are skilled through alternative routes, or STARs." Those alternative routes could include community college, military service, or on-the-job experience. "A lot of skills-first hiring is really about how do we surface this population of talent to really understand skills instead of pedigree when we consider who is qualified for different jobs in the United States," Debroy adds. So far, according to Opportunity@Work, 26 states have signed on to the idea of hiring or promoting state employees based on their skills, knowledge, and abilities, regardless of how they attained those skills. "What's really exciting is the civil service, who many people thought were going to be the biggest barrier to public sector hiring change, are actually real advocates of this," says de Castillo. To determine if skills-based hiring is making progress in terms of expanding opportunities for job seekers and workers without four-year degrees, de Castillo and Debroy and others authored a study of its effectiveness in state government. "States are actually thinking more critically about what it means to access all of the talent in their communities, and they're thinking about what it means for representation in government, trusting government, and improved citizen services and just government efficiency," says de Castillo. "We've seen real action. We've seen bachelor's degree requirements decline by 2.5 percentage points year-over-year because of policy exposure. This has expanded access to the jobs for STARs tremendously. Right now with the 26 states, 570,000 STARs could gain access to jobs they couldn't yesterday or the year before this happened," she concludes. Debroy adds, "The Paper Ceiling represents an invisible barrier of degree screens, of biased algorithms, of stereotypes, of exclusive professional networking. These are all characteristics that block career opportunities for workers who are skilled through alternative routes. "The first set of actions [by the states] has led to an increased awareness of this population as a vast, overlooked, diverse, and skilled population of the workforce that had been historically overlooked for public sector jobs. What was so extraordinary was not just the number that Blair just shared, but also that we're starting to see shifts in precisely the types of jobs that STARs have the skills for but have historically not had access to obtain in a lot of these states. "We're excited to see the progress in roles like IT roles and management roles in health care roles, a lot of jobs that have historically offered economic mobility to the American workforce," Debroy tells me. There is a lot more in the podcast on the impact of skills-first hiring on workers and job seekers in the public sector,

Political rhetoric around immigration can be polarizing. In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, we take a step back and look at the economic impact of the immigrant workforce and the jobs they fill. Joining me in the discussion is Jane Oates, senior policy advisor for WorkingNation. The U.S. is home to 47.8 million immigrants, about 14.3% of the population. The immigrant population is about 45% Latino from Spanish-speaking countries, 31% Southeast Asian, 12% from Europe and Canada, and the rest from other countries, based on U.S. Census data. One in five U.S. workers is an immigrant. From high-paying jobs in tech to low-wage jobs in agriculture and home health care, they are a vital part of our workforce and consumer shopping, contributing $1.6 trillion to the economy and paying more than $579 billion in local, state, and federal taxes, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.  As Jane explains, for example, "the Latino labor market participation rate is 80%. The general average for the whole population is 62.5%. The Latino population in the United States represents a GDP that's greater than the GDP of India or the U.K.," says Jane. "So, losing any of that buying power is going to be really detrimental to the U.S." In the podcast, Jane and I discuss some of the misperceptions around immigrants and other foreign workers, and the work the are doing in the U.S. She explains how employers play a major role in bringing them to the country. "Know that before you can apply for a visa – whether H1B, H2B, H2A, it doesn't matter – an employer has to demonstrate that they have advertised locally for local talent. An employer has to promise you a job before you can get that visa," she says. There are caps on H-1B visas, these are for workers with bachelor's degree and higher. There are also caps on H-2B visas, which are visas for non-agricultural temporary workers. "They're doing construction. They're doing special manufacturing. They may be people doing masonry. "Then finally, the H-2A, which has no caps. That's ag workers. Every employer will tell you that they cannot get people to pick fruit, to pack fruit. They can't get them to mow lawns, pick apples. You can talk to employer after employer and they'll say, 'I tried to get local talent. I'd like to do that,'" she adds. There is a lot more in the podcast on the economic impact of immigrants, including their role in starting new small businesses. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 352: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor, WorkingNationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, we're talking about AI skills – there are more than you might think – and about the other must-have skills that employers are looking for today. I'm joined in conversation by Marni Baker Stein, chief content officer for Coursera, one of the largest online learning platform in the world. Through partnerships with more than 350 leading universities and companies – Google, IBM, Yale, and Duke, to name a few – Coursera has helped more than 168 million people learners build new skills. Stein says the rapid implementation of Chat-GPT and other AI products is having a "cascading effect across all sectors, all job roles, and all skills across disciplines. The Future of Jobs report [from the World Economic Forum] found that 50% of employers plan to reorient their business in response to AI. "And 85% of those employers say they plan to upskill their workforce in response to these skills gaps," says Stein. She adds that a large number of those employers are saying that they prefer job applicants that have verified AI skills. Coursera's own analysis of the fastest-growing skills for 2025 confirms that demand. "There is no doubt about it that if you don't already have AI skills, you absolutely need to develop them. (Additionally), you absolutely need to develop them very specifically for the job that you're in and the job tasks that you're doing," she emphatically points out. In the podcast, we go into depth about what those skills actually look like – what you need to learn how to do. We also discuss the top non-tech skills all employers want. Of course, we talk about how jobseekers and workers can get those skills. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 351: Marni Baker Stein, chief content officer, CourseraHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm back at CES 2025, looking at the impact AI and digitalization are changing the workforce and shaping the future of industries like aviation and manufacturing. I stop by the booth of tech and manufacturing giant Siemens, where U.S. CEO Barbara Humpton shares how her company is using AI to create innovate products and projects with their partners. Here is some of what we discussed: Siemens is partnering with aviation startup JetZero to use AI to design a groundbreaking blended-wing aircraft that will reduce emissions by 50%. The plane will be made in the U.S. and create an estimated 10,000 U.S. jobs. Siemens is using AI and digital tools to make manufacturing and design processes more efficient, enabling workers to transition into higher-skilled, better-paid roles. Siemens is also leveraging AI and digitalization to address global challenges like water scarcity through partnerships like the one with Wayout, a company using technology to purify water in water-distressed areas. Siemens is demonstrating its transformation from a traditional manufacturing company to a tech leader driving sustainable innovation and economic growth in the U.S. Humpton goes into detail on all of this. It's eye-opening to see how much AI is changing the workforce and every industry. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 350: Barbara Humpton, CEO, Siemens USAHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I head to CES 2025 to explore how tech innovations are creating more job opportunities and economic mobility in Rural America, and how they are transforming farming. I caught up with Matt Dunne, founder and executive director of Center on Rural Innovation, and Jeff Runde, engineering director at AgTech giant John Deere, who share their insights in this episode. Rural America: Center on Rural Innovation is Creating Tech Companies The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is working to close the technology opportunity gap in Rural America by helping communities develop technology jobs and innovation-based companies. "The biggest challenge for rural founders and aspiring rural technologists is isolation," says Dunne. "It's really nothing else. It's not their capacity, their tenacity, or even their innovative ideas, it's being able to connect them to the advisors that can give them the information that they need to be able to be successful, as you might find in a Palo Alto or a Cambridge, Massachusetts." Dunne explains that for the past eight years CORI has been helping attract venture capital to founders in towns in Rural America. In the podcast, he details how that work has transformed Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Winston, North Carolina, creating good-paying tech jobs. Rural America: AgTech is Changing Farming At CES, I also saw firsthand how tech is changing the agricultural industry. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates there are roughly 2.4 million farm jobs that need to be filled annually. Runde showed me John Deere's new driverless tractor, the Autonomous 9RX Tractor, which he says can help the American farmer plan, plant, and harvest their crops. It's huge and combines advanced computer vision, AI, and cameras to help the machines navigate their environments. In the podcast, Runde explains how farmers can operate the controls from a mobile device and what it means for productivity and the economy in Rural America. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 349: Matt Dunne, founder and executive director, Center on Rural Innovation, and Jeff Runde, engineering director, John DeereHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about the important role apprenticeships play in preparing people for careers with good pay, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. You might be surprised to learn that these amazing earn-and-learn opportunities – yes, you get a paycheck as you learn! – are not just in the skilled trades. They're in a growing number of diverse, in-demand industries. John Colborn is the executive director of Apprenticeships for America and joins me in conversation. He makes a strong case for why apprenticeships are so valuable. "An apprenticeship is a job. It's one of the attractions of apprenticeship. You are very much engaged. This is not a theoretical exercise. You're very much engaged in the workplace," he explains. He adds, "An important feature of an apprenticeship is that there's mentorship involved. You have somebody in the workplace who is helping connect you to all those unwritten rules that are part of everybody's workplace, so that you can navigate those and have success there." At the end of the apprenticeship, says Colborn, you have a connection to the company – your bosses and co-workers know you – and many people continue working for the company. It's one of the benefits that go with that apprenticeship experience. We discuss how apprenticeships offer an alternative to a traditional college education, allowing people to earn a paycheck while learning on the job with a mentor. We also look at the other occupations beyond construction and the other skilled trades that are now using apprenticeships to develop their workforce, jobs like nursing and accounting. Colborn also talks about how, despite progress, the U.S. continues to lag behind other countries in the number of people in apprenticeships. He says there is an opportunity to expand use of the training model and explains how. He adds that community colleges play an important role in connecting employers to this undeveloped talent. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 348: John Colborn, executive director, Apprenticeships for AmericaHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Wendy Chun-Hoon, director of the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, joins me to discuss the progress the century-old bureau has made when it comes to creating equality, fairness, and safety for women in the workforce. While more women than ever before are working, many still face lower wages than their male counterparts, sexual harassment, and lack of support around childcare and family care. Chun-Hoon describes herself as a longtime advocate for women in the workforce. She says she feels the Bureau has made many strides, but there is still much work to be done. There are more than 79 million women in the workforce, but in some fields they're still underrepresented in in-demand fields that pay well and overrepresented in jobs that pay less. Here's one example: the demand for both home health care workers and software developments are both growing. Women make up just 18.6% of all software developer jobs which have a median annual salary of $132,270. In contrast, nearly 88% of home health care workers are women. Those jobs have a median annual salary of $33,530. Chun-Hoon shares what the current administration and past administrations to address that imbalance. We also discuss the critical issue of childcare for working women and government-wide efforts to ensure women have the support they need for caring for their children so they can remain a part of the workforce or join the workforce. Also in the podcast, we talk about the creation of the Gender Policy Council which not only addresses the wage and childcare issues, but also addresses gender-based violence for women in the workforce. In summing up her time in office, which ends January 20, Chun-Hoon tells me, "I've seen breakthroughs that I wasn't expecting. I've seen some disappointments.  I know that the Women's Bureau is also going to keep up that fight to really serve its enduring mission and the legacy that the Women's Bureau is, which is to represent the needs of working women." You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 347: Wendy Chun-Hoon, director, Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of LaborHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, we check in from CES 2025 in Las Vegas, "the world's largest tech event." Guest Gary Shapiro, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) CEO and vice chairman, says AI remains the buzz word at this year's CES and he discusses the impact artificial intelligence and other emerging tech will continue to have on the workforce. "AI has been around for many, many, many years. It flies 95% of the flights we take on airplanes. What changed a little over a year and a half ago was this shift to ChatGPT where anyone with a computer could actually use generative AI that could learn from databases, so the potential is huge," says Shapiro. He says this evolution of AI is being rapidly adapted into all industries, from manufacturing to health care to marketing. For workers, this means some tasks will be automated. "A lot of companies jumped on it and they figured out that a lot of the reports they pay a lot of people to do could be written in a matter of hours with just some simple programming and databases, and you'll get analysis if you fed in the prior reports." But, Shapiro adds, AI is also creating new opportunities for creativity and innovation and you can see it in products on display at CES. "Those kinds of things are changing the workforce and what some people do, and it's freed them up to do other higher-level things rather than prepare similar reports all the time." My conversation with Shapiro also explores the importance of preparing the American workforce for these technological changes through STEM education, workforce development programs, and policies that enable alternative pathways to careers beyond traditional four-year college degrees. Shapiro emphasizes the need to balance regulating AI while not stifling innovation that can improve people's lives. "I'm excited about AI, but I also understand legitimate concerns. There is a natural fear that we have as human beings when things change. But things are always changing, and that's always been the case. What's made humans survive is our adaptability to new situations. We keep improving." In the podcast, Shapiro highlights some of the other tech innovation you can see at CES and its role in our lives and workplace. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 346: Gary Shapiro, CEO and vice chairman, Consumer Technology AssociationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, Joshua Wright, EVP of Growth for Lightcast, discusses The Rising Storm, the labor research group's forecast of a massive labor shortage over the next eight years and how we can fix the problem before it hurts the economy. According the Lightcast report, the workforce will face a labor shortage of six million workers between now and 2032, the largest shortage in our country's history. Wright says the it is being driven by the retirement of the baby boomer generation, declining birth rates, and reduced participation in the prime-age workforce. But, he adds, while there is no silver bullet, there are ways we can solve the problem by acting now. It comes down, Wright says, to taking a closer look at the way we educate and train people for the workforce. "I think fundamentally this is an opportunity. It is a challenge, but it's also an opportunity to restructure and rethink the systems that were developed. We're already seeing states do this, creating new workforce and education offices, or putting those two together and thinking of, 'How do we transform our education and workforce systems?'" He goes into details on those solutions for developing more workforce programs to upskill and retain existing workers. Wright says employers play a key role in this strategy, as do the education institutions and local and state governments. In the podcast, Wright also explains how technology can help speed up these solutions and he addresses the role immigration has always played, and should continue to play, in our labor force. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 345: Joshua Wright, EVP of Growth, LightcastHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, GitLab Foundation president & CEO Ellie Bertani joins me to discuss whether AI will eliminate jobs or will AI unlock economic opportunity for workers and the human potential in all of us? The impact of AI on workers and business was a big part of the conversation at the Human Potential Summit in Denver earlier this fall. GitLab Foundation is on a mission to increase lifetime earnings for people through education, training and access to opportunities, says Bertani. When it comes to AI, the organization is looking at funding projects that can make a positive impact on the workforce and help workers thrive in today's economy. It is committed to unlocking access to new, high-paying roles in underserved communities. From AI-driven job-matching platforms for the Navajo Nation to smarter systems that help nonprofits maximize impact, GitLab's approach aims to make AI work for people, not against them. In the podcast, Bertani discusses common mistakes organizations make with AI, how to avoid them, and why clarity of purpose is essential when deploying AI solutions. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. The conversation was part of the WorkingNation media partnership with the Human Potential Summit. Episode 344: Ellie Bertani, president & CEO, GitLab FoundationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

How do you fix the disconnect between work and learning? In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Taylor McLemore, entrepreneur and founder of the Human Potential Summit, and Ryan Stowers, senior vice president of Stand Together and the executive director of the Charles Koch Foundation, organizations that were founding sponsors of the summit. In this conversation from the Human Potential Summit, held in Denver this fall, McLemore and Stowers share their concerns about the state of our current work and learning systems. McLemore describes it as more broken than functional and says education and careers have become disconnected. Stowers agrees, adding that we need to address this disconnect now in order to unleash the human potential in everyone. Both agree it is crucial for economic mobility, democracy, and global competitiveness. In the podcast, we talk about the role employers must play in fixing the system, including a deeper investment in training and developing the workforce. Helping people develop their human potential and find purpose and dignity in their work is also an imperative for the society. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 343: Taylor McLemore, Human Potential Summit, and Ryan Stowers, Stand TogetherHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, Katy Knight, executive director and president of Siegel Family Endowment, and Allison Scott, CEO of Kapor Foundation, discuss the underrepresentation of women and people of color in the high-tech jobs and what to do about it. High-tech jobs include software engineering, data science, and other technical roles, but it's not just the pure tech companies that are hiring. Companies across all industries – banking, health care, education, manufacturing, and others – are in need of workers with good tech skills. Data shows that Blacks, Hispanics, and women are underrepresented in those jobs. Women make up less than 25% of the overall tech force, with Hispanics representing 9% and Blacks making up 7%. This lack of diversity is even worse at the highest levels of tech. Barriers to entry and advancement in tech careers include biases in hiring and promotion, lack of mentorship and social capital, and the need for more visibility of non-traditional tech career pathways. Knight and Scott advocate addressing the problem early, well before someone is ready to join the workforce. Here is some of what they tell me. Allison Scott "The global we has not done a good enough job in articulating the variety of careers and the career pathways, both into what we think of as traditional big tech companies, but also startup companies. Also more traditional financial, the big financial industry, all of those different pathways that still, even medicine, I think we need to do a better job of creating visibility to a variety of different careers. "One way that we like to articulate the problem is through a leaky tech pipeline metaphor. Only about 57% of high schools across the country offer computer science courses. So, you're automatically restricting the ability of about half of our students to even pursue a course to potentially gain interest or the skills needed to go on to pursue computer science and higher education." Katy Knight "Given the explosion of interest in computer science and interest in tech jobs, the number of applicants to CS programs at undergraduate institutions has skyrocketed. So, as the barrier to entry there gets higher because everyone wants to do it, the admissions offices are looking for students who seem most adequately prepared." "Those students who are at the (K-12) schools where they have access to CS courses, who have taken AP CS, are going to be better candidates and better prepared, even when they are not necessarily any more skilled or smarter than a student who hasn't had that access. "It's just with the pool so big and so deep, there are just certain impediments that come up because you've got to create some gates. The admissions officer can only do but so many things." Many Avenues to Increasing Diversity in High-Tech Careers In the podcast, we discuss efforts to address the low representation for women, Blacks, and Hispanics in high-tech jobs, including some of the programs Siegel Family Endowment and Kapor Foundation – as philanthropic organizations – are funding. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 342: Katy Knight, executive director & president, Siegel Family Endowment, and Allison Scott, CEO, Kapor FoundationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In the final episode of the Work in Progress podcast series The Manufacturing Comeback, we look at how employers are recruiting and training veterans and women to fill jobs in the manufacturing industry. Employers Anticipate a Surge in Hiring in Manufacturing On my recent trip to Minneapolis for The Manufacturing Institute's Workforce Summit 2025, employers told me that there are a lot of new plants being built around the country, bringing jobs back to the states. The work is more high-tech than in decades past, and employers are now competing with other industries that are also demanding skilled talent. By one estimate from MI and Deloitte, manufacturing will need 3.8 million workers over the next eight years. To meet that demand, they are actively recruiting military veterans and women, the latter being an underrepresented group in manufacturing. Heroes MAKE America, Women MAKE America In the podcast, you'll learn about two Manufacturing Institute initiatives – Heroes MAKE America and Women MAKE America. You'll hear how Heroes MAKE America is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare transitioning service members and their spouses for jobs in manufacturing. Once trained, the program is also making connections to employers who are hiring. The Women MAKE America initiative is working to add more women to the industry. Right now, just about 30% of all manufacturing employees are women. You'll hear how they are trying to significantly grow that number. The Manufacturing Comeback The recent uptick in manufacturing construction and hiring is fueled by the infusion of federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in 2021, the CHIPS and Science Act enacted in 2022, and private funding. To better understand how the manufacturing comeback is reshaping the workforce, I speak with Gardner Carrick, chief program officer for The Manufacturing Institute, which is helping employers figure out how to build a strong talent pipeline. . This three-part podcast series is a robust conversation about an industry that is once again looking for workers. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. This series is made possible through support from The Manufacturing Institute. As a nonprofit journalism organization, WorkingNation partners and collaborates with outside organizations to make possible our mission of telling stories about solutions to today's workforce issues. All editorial decisions on this series were made independently of our supporter. Episode 341: The Manufacturing Comeback: Recruiting, Training, and Retaining Women and VeteransHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

This is Episode Two of The Manufacturing Comeback, a three-part Work in Progress podcast series. The series takes you inside the surge in hiring in the manufacturing industry. In this episode, we look at how small manufacturers are recruiting and training workers. Small Companies are Looking for Talent On my recent trip to Minneapolis for The Manufacturing Institute's Workforce Summit 2025, I sat down with leaders from several small companies, including Ketchie Precision Machining Solutions and Acutec Precision Aerospace, to learn how they are meeting their growing demand for talent. They tell me that they need a highly-skilled workforce with technical, problem-solving, and soft skills to operate advance equipment. They also point out that they are struggling to compete with larger companies to attract that talent. In the podcast, you'll learn about paid internships, apprenticeships, and other recruiting and training initiatives. You'll also hear from local colleges and how they are helping meet the hiring surge. The Manufacturing Comeback The recent uptick in manufacturing construction and hiring is fueled by the infusion of federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in 2021, the CHIPS and Science Act enacted in 2022, and private funding. To better understand how the manufacturing comeback is reshaping the workforce, I speak with Gardner Carrick, chief program officer for The Manufacturing Institute, which is helping employers figure out how to build a strong talent pipeline. . This three-part podcast series is a robust conversation about an industry that is once again looking for workers. Next week, in Episode Three, we conclude the series with a conversation around how large and small employers are tapping into underrepresented talent to fill jobs. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. This series is made possible through support from The Manufacturing Institute. As a nonprofit journalism organization, WorkingNation partners and collaborates with outside organizations to make possible our mission of telling stories about solutions to today's workforce issues. All editorial decisions on this series were made independently of our supporter. Episode 340: The Manufacturing Comeback: Small Employers are Hiring in Your TownHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, we begin a three-part series examining the manufacturing comeback in the United States, the resulting surge in job creation, and the types of skills workers need to get those jobs. In the series, we explore how the nation's employers are finding, training, and retraining the talent to fill as many as 3.8 million jobs over the next eight years. Manufacturers say they are already having trouble filling those jobs. Episode One of The Manufacturing Comeback focuses on how large employers are addressing the shortage of skilled talent. Building a Talent Pipeline I recently traveled to Minneapolis to attend The Manufacturing Institute's Workforce Summit 2025. There I spoke with Mark Rayfield, CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed, and with Paul Myles, senior manager of Government Workforce Development and Training Programs at Magna International. In the podcast, Rayfield and Myles discuss how while the demand for manufacturing jobs in America is surging, finding skilled talent to fill these roles is a growing challenge. Unlike manufacturing jobs of the past, these jobs are often tech-focused. That means manufacturing employers are competing with other industries that are also looking for a tech-skilled workforce. We discuss innovative recruitment methods, effective partnerships with educational institutions, and creating career pathways for people from all backgrounds. Behind the Manufacturing Resurgence The recent surge of manufacturing construction and hiring is being fueled by the infusion of federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in 2021, the CHIPS and Science Act enacted in 2022, and private funding. To better understand how the manufacturing comeback is reshaping the workforce, I speak with Gardner Carrick, chief program officer for The Manufacturing Institute, which is helping employers figure out how to build a strong talent pipeline. Also joining this part of the conversation is Yustina Saleh, managing director of Workforce Innovation for The Burning Glass Institute. Importantly, we look at the ebbs and flows of manufacturing hiring and how jobs have changed over the past several decades. We also examine why it has become more difficult to find workers interested in manufacturing careers, despite the fact that they are often good-paying jobs. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. The Manufacturing Comeback This three-part podcast series is a robust conversation about an industry that is once again looking for workers. Next week, in Episode Two, we turn our attention to how smaller manufacturers are attempting to find and train new workers. This series is made possible through support from The Manufacturing Institute. As a nonprofit journalism organization, WorkingNation partners and collaborates with outside organizations to make possible our mission of telling stories about solutions to today's workforce issues. All editorial decisions on this series were made independently of our supporter. Episode 339: The Manufacturing Comeback: How Large Employers are Sourcing TalentHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by two leaders of the U.S. Coast Guard Career Investment Division, Chief Stephen Keck and Deputy Chief Christopher Cruz. We take a look at how the Coast Guard is preparing its service members for the vital jobs they do in active service to the country and giving them the training, credentials, and degrees they need to succeed in the civilian workforce, including in critical national security roles. Transitioning from active military duty to a civilian career can be one of the most stressful times of your life according to today's guests. Fortunately, there are people in every branch of the military to help prepare service members for that big step. Both Keck and Cruz are veterans and both understand that service members learn remarkable skills while serving their country, skills that are vital to our nation's security. They also know that sometimes it's helpful to have a degree or industry-recognized credentials as they make that transition from active duty to veteran. In the podcast, we discuss the training that the U.S. Coast Guard provides for active duty service men and women. They also explain how those Coast Guard Sentinels can get credit through civilian industry-recognized credentials for those military jobs. For example, merchant mariner is a national security role that Coast Guard veterans are highly-qualified for and the program Keck and Cruz run make it easier for those veterans to qualify for those jobs. We also talk about other credentialing opportunities, two- and four-year college, and the durable skills a veteran leaves the military with. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 338: Stephen Keck, Chief, U.S. Coast Guard Career Investment Division; Christopher Cruz, Deputy Chief, U.S. Coast Guard Career Investment DivisionHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, I'm joined by Taj Eldridge, managing director of Jobs for the Future (JFF), to discuss the growing opportunity for good-paying climate-resilient jobs and for entrepreneurs who want to combine enterprise and purpose. The climate-resilient industry, says Eldridge, is still in an "adolescent phase" but is estimated to be valued at $5 trillion globally. Emerging technologies and entrepreneurial activity is growing, due to federal, state, and local initiatives and funding, as well as corporate sustainability directives. In addition to traditional green jobs such as those in clean energy, climate-resilient jobs can be found in all industries, creating career opportunities with family-sustaining wages and benefits. This is attracting workers and jobseekers who are looking for good jobs that give them a sense of purpose. Eldridge and I discuss the job-creating initiative CREST, short for Climate-Resilient Employees for a Sustainable Tomorrow. The goal of the initiative funded by Ares Charitable Foundation is to train and place 25,000 Americans in quality green jobs, while also supporting entrepreneurial ventures in climate tech. In the podcast, we take a closer look at some of those start-ups in the CREST Entrepreneur-in-Resident program and how they are working to make their communities more climate-resilient while creating pathways to long-term careers. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find our podcasts on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 337: Taj Eldridge, Jobs for the Future (JFF) managing directorHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by Chike Aguh, senior advisor to The Project on Workforce at Harvard University and the former Chief Innovation Officer for the Biden Administration. He's also a member of the WorkingNation Advisory Board. We sat down to discuss the impact of AI and tech innovation on the workforce, particularly midcareer and older workers, at the Equity Summit 2024 in Washington, a collaboration between CWI Labs, Center for Workforce Inclusion, and WorkingNation. Sometimes it feels like technology is moving so fast that many of us are at risk of being left behind. The U.S. economy is in need of workers right now, with 10 job openings for every eight people looking for work. Some employers say they are struggling to find workers with the right tech skills and timeless interpersonal skills. At the Equity Summit, Aguh and I discussed ways to ensure that midcareer and older worker have access to opportunities in today's labor market, in hiring, job retention, and reskilling. Aguh talked about how technology can't replace everyone but tech innovations such as AI could exacerbate existing inequities for marginalized older workers, including older workers of color. He offered up ideas on how employers can utilize the talents of older workers, rather than buying into biases and outdated assumptions about their abilities. Aguh offered specific strategies employers could use to help upskilled and integrate their workers into the workforce to help solve their labor shortage. You can listen to the full podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the podcast our the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 336: Chike Aguh, Senior Advisor, The Project on Workforce at Harvard UniversityHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, and Mauricio Garcia, senior VP of programs for UnidosUS join me to discuss the digital divide that is threatening to create further barriers to family-sustaining jobs for Latinos and Hispanics. You've probably heard about the digital gap or digital divide in the U.S. For U.S. Latinos that gap is significant. According to the Pew Research Center, 80% of whites are connected to broadband internet while only 65% of Latinos are. And Latinos may get less encouragement to seek digital training or jobs requiring digital skills. That digital disparity means Latinos as a group face more challenges when job-seeking. Without a high level of digital skills, Latinos and others are increasingly shut out of career opportunities. As Latinos are set to drive nearly 80% of workforce growth by 2030, closing the digital divide is not just a social priority, it's an economic imperative. I spoke with Miranda and Garcia at the JFF Horizons conference in Washington, D.C., in July. We discussed how community-based organizations, upskilling programs, and policy initiatives are working to bridge the gap and empower the Latino workforce. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 335: Frankie Miranda, president & CEO, Hispanic Federation, and Mauricio Garcia, SVP of programs, UnidosUSHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Carolyn Lee, president and executive director of The Manufacturing Institute, to talk about what's behind the comeback in manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and what employers need to do to fill another 3.8 million jobs over the next eight years. "We are at a all-time high since the Great Recession with manufacturing jobs filled here in the sector," says Lee. "We're just hovering at 13 million and that means we have recovered from all the jobs that were originally lost during the Great Recession and now we have gone back up all the way to the top of the mountain." What's behind the resurgence in hiring? Lee cites a number of reasons: consumer demand and spending has been strong since COVID, a favorable tax environment, and the drive to invest federal money through the CHIPS and Science Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. "From the CHIPS Act, there have been huge announcements of investment from Intel in Ohio. You have large investments being made in Texas and then a number of very large investments in Arizona. as well, and that's just specific to CHIPS. If you look at EV manufacturing, there's huge investments in Kansas and in Alabama and in Georgia and the Southeast," she tells me. Lee adds, "Not only has it been the CHIPS and the Infrastructure Bill that have driven a lot of government funding, there is a huge grants program out of the Department of Commerce, the Good Jobs Act, which came from a previous set of legislation that helped invest in job training. That's something The Manufacturing Institute team has been working on in a number of regions including Fresno, California, Ohio, and Texas." She says employers continue to hire, but there are still almost 600,000 open jobs in the industry every month. Lee cites a report from The Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte Consulting which forecasts that over the next eight years, the manufacturing industry will need as many as 3.8 million additional workers, many with these digital skills. The report lays out a strategy to help employers fill those jobs, particularly through investing in worker training. Lee and I discuss what this means for the worker and job seeker and why they should consider being one of those millions of in-demand workers needed in manufacturing. You can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the podcast on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 315: Carolyn Lee, president and executive director, The Manufacturing InstituteHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Mariela Salas, Ph.D., executive director of SomosVC, a nonprofit focused on accelerating and elevating the presence of Latinos and Latinas in the venture capital industry. The organization argues that if more Latinos become VCs, more money will flow to diverse startup founders. In simple terms, venture capital itself is a type of financing for startups and small businesses with very high, long-term growth potential. Despite making up 19.5% of the the U.S. populations, less than 2% of all professionals in the venture capital industry and ecosystem are Latino. "There are various factors that are leading to us being underrepresented within the ecosystem. There are cultural barriers, socioeconomic barriers, lack of access, and lack of opportunity," says Salas. "And I think there's this big myth, especially for Latinos, that we do not, or have not been creating high-growth companies." Salas says typically venture capitalists tend to come from Ivy League schools such as Stanford and Harvard. "They go on to do some investment banking for a little while, or consulting, and then after that they decide to make the transition into VC. "In addition to wanting to change or diversify the folks who are able to break into the industry, we're also thinking about how do we diversify geographically, and how do we diversify in thought? Meaning how do we diversify and bring folks into the industry who didn't necessarily go to one of these Ivy League schools," she adds. In our conversation, Salas and I discuss how SomosVC is trying to change the venture capital industry through career development, mentorship programs, and fellowships. She describes the nonprofit's eight-week course which includes hands-on practicums and case studies on how to start your own fund. Salas also explains which cities are ripe for these new VC funds and how adding more Latinos to the venture capital industry will lead to more Latino-owned startups. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 334: Dr. Mariela Salas, executive director, SomosVCHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith joins me to discuss how taking part in the national service program can help you serve your community, giving you a sense of purpose, while also helping you develop hard and soft career skills. Since 1993, AmeriCorps has been providing opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to personally address the nation's most pressing challenges and improve lives in their communities. They are working in our schools, working at food pantries, and working to advance the U.S. march toward climate-resiliency. Today, there are more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps senior volunteers that are serving in nearly 40,000 locations across the country. "AmeriCorps, for 30 years, has operated on this simple belief that we may not have enough tax money to pay all the people to do all of the things that our communities need, but what we do have is this unique American ethos where people want to give back. They want to serve," says Smith, AmeriCorps CEO. "There is something that is wonderful and beautiful about service that is selfless, and we love all the selfless, passionate, compassionate people that want to serve. In many cases, they're serving full-time jobs. Sometimes they're moving their whole lives." When you serve with AmeriCorps, along with the sense of purpose and giving back, you get a living allowance and education benefits, including an Eli Segal Education Award and student loan forbearance while you're serving. There is also the on-the-job training benefit. "A year of service is going to help you accelerate on your career path. You might walk away with certifications or credentialing. You get a variety of benefits that will help you to live while you serve, but maybe even more importantly will help to take you really, really far into your chosen career path," says Smith. While conservation has been a part of AmeriCorps since the very beginning, the newly-minted American Climate Corps launched this year, attracting people of all ages, but particularly young adults interested in climate-resiliency. "What's really cool about it is the demand is through the roof. Within six weeks of launching the American Climate Corps, 50,000 people signed up saying we want to be a part of this. We believe that there is something that this generation wants to do here, and we're giving them an opportunity to take action now," Smith tells me. "We've got 9,000 American Climate Corps members that are in the field right now. They are gaining skills while they're serving, and they are also being connected with resources to make sure that they can get the green energy and climate jobs of the future. "You've got some people that are doing the traditional trail work. Those are the folks out in the woods. You've got some people that are doing solar panels in inner city communities or urban farming. You've got some folks that are working on climate education. You've got some people that are working on tribal land. We've come up with a lot of different options depending upon what your interests are, and we're just really excited," Smith says. Our conversation continues with Smith and I discussing more of the work the American Climate Corps is doing advance climate-resiliency. We also discuss how you can find a service opportunity that suits your passions. And Smith talks about how the national service program is changing lives throughout the country, both for community residents and for AmeriCorps members. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also get the podcast on the Work in Progress podcast YouTube channel. Episode 333: Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorpsHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork ...

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, I'm joined by Dr. Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, to talk about the two pillars of the nonprofit's mission: workforce development and education for the Hispanic community, the fastest-growing part of the U.S. workforce. Over the next seven years, nearly eight in 10 new jobs in the labor market will be filled by a Latino, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The majority of those jobs will require some level of digital skills. Tijerino says the Hispanic Heritage Foundation is working with major companies across the country to offer training. "We have a value proposition as the Latino community, and we want to make sure that we're prepping our community to provide that value proposition in the workforce. "We're working with AT&T, for instance, in terms of skills building all over the country for youth, but also for people that are currently in a particular job and want to transition into another job. Same with IBM," explains Tijerino. "We want to make sure that they have access to not just tools but also certifications and access to a career path in areas that we need to fulfill. We want to make sure that our community is in good position as they move into those jobs – that they're in the skilled areas – that they're in the technology areas that (those jobs) are in." Tijerino adds that education is a key component of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation mission. "Education is workforce development in the first place because, ultimately, what you're trying to do is build towards the rest of your life and what you're going to do with that education. "For instance, in education, we teach 100,000 students how to computer code. It's broader than just simply trying to teach a bunch of kids how to code, trying to give them confidence with technology, feel a sense of belonging in technology, for instance, and also make sure we're building social capital at every step as they go into their careers and have that touch point." The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is also trying to address the the digital divide in terms of Wi-Fi. A homework gap leads to a workforce gap, says Tijerino. "We have found through surveys that we did with the Student Research Foundation that Latinos were most likely to say that their grades suffered because they didn't have Wi-Fi at home to do their homework, most likely to say that they couldn't finish their homework. Parents were most likely to say they couldn't communicate with a teacher because they didn't have Wi-Fi at home. "We want to make sure that everybody's connected because you can't succeed in education or in the workforce or in community building if you don't have access to Wi-Fi." We dive into how the Hispanic Heritage Foundation is working to close those gaps and increase tech upskilling. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it here, on the Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 332: Dr. Antonio Tijerino, President & CEO, Hispanic Heritage FoundationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, STRIVE president & CEO Philip Weinberg and STRIVE board co-chair Roy Castro join me to discuss how the nonprofit has been connecting historically-excluded populations to life-changing careers and skills for the past 40 years. "We believe in the principles of equity and justice and opportunity for all. There's too many individuals, as we know, in our communities who are talented and looking for access to build a career, but often don't know where to go. We believe at STRIVE in giving them a fair shot," explains Weinberg. The nonprofit was born in 1984 in the basement of an East Harlem New York public housing apartment building. Today, STRIVE is in about a dozen cities, including Baltimore, New Orleans, and San Diego, and has helped nearly 90,000 graduates gain access to the training and support needed to build a career. Weinberg adds, "We show up in communities through partners that license with STRIVE to deliver our evidence-based workforce programming within their broader portfolio of services. STRIVE always shows up in concert with community, with public officials and mayors' offices, and anchor institutions like community colleges, other nonprofit providers, and local philanthropy." Weinberg says most of their students come to STRIVE unemployed or in low-wage, low-quality jobs. "Our average age is about 30. Most of our students come to us on public assistance looking to create a sense of financial independence and empowerment for themselves and their families. Over 40% of our students are parents to minors. 40% of our students do have experience with the criminal justice system. "We've built a model that is comprehensive to support people who are often encountering significant hurdles in life through no fault of their own – injustices, racial injustices, injustices in systems," he adds. STRIVE offers 10 weeks of no-cost training that is customized to credentials local employers are looking for that can give the students access to high-quality, high-growth occupations. The program includes three to four weeks of intensive coaching and mentorship on team-building, managing conflict, and professional communications. After the training, the nonprofit's employment team works with the students to connect them with employers. Roy Castro is the co-chair of the STRIVE board and the founder and CEO of Castro Ventures, a multimillion dollar firm. He is also a STRIVE alum. "22 years ago, I actually graduated from STRIVE. They took a Roy who was 28 years old, never had a job in his life, only knew the street life. After the street life, he only knew prison life. No job experience, no corporate America experience, never had a manager, didn't like command and chain of command, didn't understand that. And STRIVE was able to show this kid that there's more out there," Castro shares. "I was one of the lucky ones that was able to go to STRIVE. STRIVE took me in and guided me at when I was literally at my most darkest moment in my life when I was most lost, and I needed more than just a job at that time, and STRIVE was there to pick me up," he explains. "This is why I'm so passionate and why 22 years later I'm equally – if not more – as passionate and I give my time to STRIVE." Weinberg and Castro go into more detail on how the program connects students to those jobs and how the STRIVE program doesn't end at graduation. STRIVE offers them lifetime support. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 331: STRIVE president & CEO Philip Weinberg and STRIVE board co-chair Roy CastroHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous ep...

Skilled trade workers are in big demand and short supply and it just might be a career pathway you should consider. WorkingNation and Scripps News have partnered on a new series, Fire Up Your Career, to explore the types of jobs available, what employers are doing to attract talent, and how you can get the skills needed for these good-paying jobs popping up all across the country. Read the article and listen to the podcast, then watch the video below of WorkingNation on Scripps News discussing what's driving the demand and creating new job opportunities in the skilled trades. In this episode of Work in Progress, we're talking about the shortage of skilled trade workers and what employers can do about it. I am joined by Brooke Weddle, McKinsey & Company senior partner and co-author of the McKinsey report Tradespeople Wanted: The Need for Critical Trade Skills in the U.S. The country is facing a hiring crunch for skilled workers such as carpenters, electricians, welders, and plumbers. What's behind the critical demand for talent in the trades? Weddle says the shortage is not new, but the demand has skyrocketed over the past few years. "That comes from things like the bipartisan infrastructure law. It comes from the energy transition. It comes from infrastructure investments beyond the Biden bipartisan infrastructure law. We see things like the CHIPS Act," she explains. “Two important supply-side trends are decreasing the number of skilled laborers in the U.S. workforce: the aging U.S. population and too few younger people entering the trades.” according to the report. Weddle adds, "We are not seeing enough new entrants into those skilled trade roles, so thus the gap that we observe. It's troubling because it's getting in the way of productivity and performance of a lot of organizations." The report estimates that cost of the worker shortage to U.S. companies is over $5 billion. "We're not talking about small numbers here. And having worked with many industrial manufacturing companies that are employing these skilled trades, I can tell you that this is not a HR topic. This is a CEO topic," Weddle tells me in the podcast. "If you listen to any earnings call of a large industrial company in the past 12, 24 months, I would be hard-pressed to find one that is not talking about workforce issues, whether it's acquiring that talent or retaining that talent or making that talent more productive," she says. The report finds that the demand for workers in the skilled trades is only going to increase based on McKinsey's analysis on the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and talking with employers. Weddle and I discuss some ideas of how employers can attract and retain new workers to fill current and future roles, including working locally with a variety of partners. "So involving others in the community, whether those are economic development organizations, workforce councils. There is obviously the big role to play on the educational provider side. As we know, that is certainly not just higher ed, but it is community colleges. It is vocational schools. "One of the things that we've seen is that when you're orchestrating and integrating at this regional level, then you're able to much more quickly match what are the skills and goals we need to how do we build the workforce that is required? "I would say failure is not an option. We must be optimistic, but we must be smart optimists. We need to find new innovative ways to work together," Weddle tells me. We go deeper into specific examples of how this regional partner approach is getting results. We also talk about some of the reasons younger adults might not want to join the skilled trades and how employers can address those issues to attract a new generation of workers. You can listen to the entire conversation here, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read the McKinsey & Company Tradespeople Wanted report here.

In this episode of Work in Progress, Josh Elder, vice president and head of grantmaking for Siegel Family Endowment, joins me to discuss the importance of tech connectivity in creating access and opportunity to jobs in rural America. We also talk about the overall impact technology is having on society, education, and the way we do our jobs. For more than 10 years, the Siegel Family Endowment, a private family foundation, has supported a wide range of grantees that are focused on understanding and shaping the impact of emerging technology on society. Of late that conversation has be more and more about artificial intelligence. "The way that we've been thinking about it is understanding how AI is impacting work today, both in terms of the impact it is having on employers, but – and this is where we want to elevate this conversation – the impact of AI on workers," Elder explains. He says the big questions they are examining with their grantees are whether AI is being done to workers or is AI being done with workers. "Oftentimes when you hear about AI in the workforce, everyone immediately jumps to thinking about is AI going to replace people? Is AI going to displace people and reduce jobs? And we know we've seen some of the early stats and some of that is happening." He adds that as AI tools and products continuing to evolve, it is important to make certain the workers' voice is being listened to and integrated into those tools "to really mitigate some of the harms and the bias that we unfortunately are seeing day-to-day with more and more emerging technology taking place and impacting workers, especially marginalized workers in the workforce." Early on, our conversation in the podcast turns to jobs in rural America and the importance of access to a solid tech infrastructure, connectivity, and broadband. "If you don't even have the fundamental elements of connectivity, you're already facing obstacles and challenges that are putting you behind. That's something that we've really been looking at – especially in places like rural America – to really create the connectivity and digital infrastructure that's needed to then connect to both the physical and social infrastructure that you're going to (need) in the workforce," says Elder. As rural America faces a "brain drain" of younger adults moving out of their communities to find jobs, that digital infrastructure takes on more importance. "I speak as someone who grew up in rural America. I felt like I had to move out in order to be able to find the opportunities or pursue opportunities for things that I was interested in. I know some of that, unfortunately, is still the case. "What we are trying to do, especially with CORI (Center on Rural Innovation) and others, is look at how can you create a rural innovation ecosystem and hubs that can provide more opportunities, either for entrepreneurship or for other companies to be developed, that can actually support and provide opportunities for citizens there and also grow talent pipelines. "There's amazing talent that exists in these rural communities. They often just don't have connection to the opportunities to be able to build out for success. We're really interested in looking at the connection between education, workforce, and infrastructure needed to be able to scale these opportunities at a rapid rate," says Elder. Josh Elder goes into much more details on how Siegel Family Endowment is working with grantees to address these issues, the importance of building equitable access to jobs and education, and how we all should have a voice in tech's impact on society. You can listen to the podcast here, or get it wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 329: Josh Elder, vice president & head of grantmaking, Siegel Family EndowmentHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Tr...

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Brian Peckrill, executive director of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, and Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., president and CEO of SHRM, join me in a discussion on how an ethical leader can foster a strong culture of integrity and inclusion from the top of the organization to the bottom. For the past three years, the McGowan Charitable Fund and SHRM have partnered to present the Ethical Leader of the Year Award to a CEO they believe embodies the belief that principles and profits are not incompatible. "There are great leaders out there in the world who are making business decisions that have both great financial impacts, but are also mindful of their stakeholders, their customers, as well as their workforces," says Peckrill. Peckrill says there are six core competencies that make up an ethical leader – character, integrity, accountability, empathy, self-awareness, resilience, and courage. "Leaders need all of these. Sometimes they need different qualities at different moments, but to really put forth a leadership practice that doesn't just benefit the financial performance of the organization but pushes the organization forward and serves its people, (leaders) need all of these values." He adds that CEOs that embrace these values are transforming both their organizations and society. SHRM's Taylor agrees and says without strong ethical leadership at the top organizations can struggle. "It's because the culture is not one that makes clear that ethics is the way we do business. When you think about ethical cultures, it is both a treetop and a sort of ground-up grassroots effort to get this right. We need every employee, and we need all leaders. And we do this right, then we have business cultures that are successful and ethical." He says there's a right and a wrong way to do business and the ethical decision is one that we've got to make sure that we teach our colleagues how to recognize. This year, McGowan and SHRM presented the Ethical Leader of the Year Award to Marvin Ellison, president and CEO of Lowe's. Peckrill says Ellison was an easy choice based on how, under his leadership, the company has invested in its workers and the communities it serves both during and after the COVID pandemic. Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts to learn more about Ellison's leadership and also more about the benefits to a company when the CEO makes a clear choice to set ethical standards and insist they are followed from the top to the bottom of the organization. Episode 328: Brian Peckrill, executive director, William G. McGowan Charitable Fund and Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., president & CEO, SHRMHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by Scott Pulsipher, president of Western Governors University to talk about how the online university flips the standard postsecondary education model to create individualized learning plans for each student. We also discuss the latest WGU offering: a new fund designed to help prepare students for jobs in nursing, which is now facing a critical shortage nationwide. Since its founding in 1997. Western Governors University (WGU) has prided itself in innovating the way higher education prepares students to enter the workforce. Pulsipher says at the heart of that continuing innovation is the idea that every person is unique, with unique needs and circumstances, as they enter into the workforce or seek a career that will provide them with economic mobility. "It starts with a very simple truth: there is inherent worth in every individual and that we believe – and know, in fact – if given the opportunity, each one has something big to contribute. Everyone has the innate capacity for learning. It doesn't mean that we learn the same way or that we go at the same pace," he explains. "We apply that by just simply recognizing everyone can learn and everyone has the opportunity to contribute, so how do we make these pathways as accessible and affordable and traversable for every individual?" Pulsipher says that translates into offering individualized and personalized plans for each student, along with a mentor to help them navigate the pathway to their career goals. "The program mentor is someone who's with you from the day you start your program until the day you graduate. Their job isn't to just augment your instruction and your learning, but to also help you deal with all the challenges, disruptions, offsets that you may have. It's like a bit of a secret sauce into helping our students complete at much higher rate than they might otherwise." Another key to helping the students, according to Pulsipher, is working with employers across the country, accessing what skills they are looking for right now and in the near future. "We always adapting and advancing the curriculum to be relevant to the world of work. Certainly, technology's increasing the pace of that change. We know the shelf life of skills is declining or the knowledge is declining, meaning you're going to have to make sure that what you're learning. Our curriculum is directly relevant to the opportunities you see within the next three- to five year horizon, two- to three-year horizon, one- to two-year horizon. "We're always leveraging our engagements with our employer networks – we have over 250 employers – so that we're always ingesting that workforce data back into the design and development of our curriculum. I think one of the key things that our students rely upon us is for the relevancy of what they've learned to the jobs they want to pursue," he tells me. One field that is in big demand right now is health care. For example, there's as many as 40,000 unfilled jobs for nurses across the country right now. "We know that number is going to keep growing because of the aging population and the higher demand for the health care services that are needed. (WGU) is a nationally-scaled provider of nursing programs. We're an institution that operates in the most states for pre-licensure nursing programs, we're now in over 20 different states. "This allows us to leverage that scale to solve a strategic workforce gap that exists in health care. The hospitals, health systems, community health centers that need those qualified individuals, here is a talent provider now that can do that with a high degree of relevancy and really high pass rates," says Pulsipher. That combination has led WGU to partner with Social Finance to create the Reinvesting in Nursing Education and Workforce (ReNEW) Fund, which "aims to address these challenges by helping to cover the cost of the final two years of WGU's...

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, I'm joined by Brittany Greer, the executive director of Rosie Riveters, a nonprofit that is working to close the gender gap in the STEM workforce. There are an estimated 2.8 million unfilled STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs in this country. Meanwhile, women make up just 28% of the STEM workforce. Since 2016, Brittany Greer has been working to change that. The nonprofit she founded aims to inspire girls aged 8 to 14 from diverse backgrounds to explore careers in the field through hands-on learning kits. "It's all of the materials needed to complete the project operationally. We do everything from explore hydraulics – making a hydraulic desk lamp where the arm goes up and down – to exploring the science of sound. To build a harmonica, we have popsicle sticks and rubber bands and straws and if you put those together in the right way, you can make a harmonica that vibrates and make sounds," explains Greer. She says that part of the lesson of each Rosie Riveters learning kit is to understand how that science project connects to a career in STEM. For example, the connection between the science of sound to a career in the audio-visual industry. She adds, "The whole goal of our programs is not only excitement and awareness of the opportunities that are available in STEM, that's one part of it. The real core of what we do is providing girls in our programs with an opportunity for productive struggle, a space to get things wrong before they get them rights." As a result, the young girls not only build critical thinking and problem-solving skills, they build their confidence. "It's watching a kid go from, 'I can't,' to, 'Look what I did.' Because once you get through the struggle and you have completed the task and you did something that you didn't think was possible or you didn't think was fair, there is a radiance that comes off of a participant after that moment and they're excited to show you and talk about it," explains Greer. Greer believes that building those skills and building confidence is what drives more young girls to consider STEM as a career. "If you can invest in them early, they will know that they can come and find you at the end. You're going to have a far greater participation rate of of people who have not gone to participate in your space before because you're welcoming them and you're inviting them, and you're showing them the opportunities that are available to them. "I think the more that we can do that, the more that we can open up opportunities that haven't previously been available to a lot of the population," Greer adds. Listen to the podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts, to learn more about how Rosie Riveters gets the kits into the hands of the girls they are hoping to inspire. Episode 326: Brittany Greer, executive director and founder, Rosie RivetersHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, I'm joined by Sarah Keh, the vice president of corporate social responsibility at Prudential Financial to discuss the company's $180 million committment to helping opportunity youth find a pathway to good jobs and wealth building. Keh sat down with me to discuss the philanthropy in June at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Opportunity youth are young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who currently are not in formal education or training and are unemployed. There are almost 6 million people who fall into that designation, a number that has grown since the COVID pandemic. Even before the pandemic, in 2019, Prudential decided to invest $180 million by 2025 in programs that will help young people across the globe gain the right skills to compete for and succeed in quality jobs.  "The reason why they have come into the situation that there are in...is not because they don't have the will or the desire. It's oftentimes they are born into a situation that doesn't provide them the access to the opportunities that you and I may have had in our upbringing," says Keh. She says the Prudential believes it is important to look at opportunity youth for their potential and act on it. "We're really focused on this population because we believe these are our future leaders of nonprofits, of businesses, of government, and they just need access to the right resources and tools to provide them the good skill." Keh says the company has already achieved in five years what it had set out to achieve in six – the $180 million in nonprofit programs that are providing that training and opportunity. "We've invested in over 20 different organizations globally that have impacted hundreds and thousands of young people. We know even just last year through our impact data that over 500,000 opportunity youth were connected to training opportunities and employment opportunities." Here is the U.S., those workforce development programs include Year Up, YouthBuild, and Per Scholas. Keh and I go into details on how these programs are helping and how the can help young people build wealth. We also discuss Prudential's work of a local level in Newark, New Jersey, the headquarters of the company which turns 150 years old next year. You can listen to the podcast here, or wherever you get your podcasts. This podcast was recorded at the Aspen Ideas Festival, in collaboration with the Aspen Institute. Episode 325: Sarah Keh, VP Corporate Social Responsibility, Prudential FinancialHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, I am joined by Vilas Dhar, president, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and a global expert on AI, equity, and how artificial intelligence is shaping our society. We sat down at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June to discuss whether AI is having a positive or negative impact on the workforce. Vilas Dhar calls the release of ChatGPT an important social moment, not a technological one. "AI didn't start in November of 2022. Researchers, scholars, people like me, have been building AI products for decades," says Dhar. "AI moved out of the background, out of the shadows, and became something that every person on the planet could touch, feel, interact with, see how it might influence their lives. And because of that, we entered into this new phase of a discussion that moved from 'What does the technology do?' to 'What do humans have to do to be ready for the technology? and "What kind of society do we want to build and how will AI help us get there?" He emphasizes the need for a diverse range of stakeholders, including technologists, policymakers, civil society, communities, employers, and workers, to be involved in shaping the future of AI and how any changes it brings are equitable ones. Dhar challenges the notion that AI will necessarily lead to job displacement, highlighting the potential for AI to enhance human capabilities and create new opportunities by automating mundane or dangerous tasks, freeing up time for creativity and innovation, and improving health care and community services. He calls for a shift in the narrative around AI from fear and risk to one of public investment and public ownership. "It's a moment in time where we can actually use it to force a bigger conversation about equality and equity, about how we distribute economic benefits, about the fact that if we think somebody is going to be displaced, what's the responsibility of the person who displaced them? "Note that I didn't say the machine that displaced them, but the person who made a choice to bring in a machine that displaced that worker. How do we think about creating a new social compact so that every person feels dignified and participatory in the decisions we're making about our AI future? If we were to start having those conversations, I'd be so hopeful about our future," he adds. Dhar has a lot more to say about why we need to change our thinking around artificial intelligence and how it can be a benefit to workers. You can listen in our conversation here, or get it wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on my Work in Progress YouTube channel. This podcast was recorded at the Aspen Ideas Festival, in collaboration with the Aspen Institute. Episode 324: Vilas Dhar, president, Patrick J. McGovern FoundationHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland. We sat down together at the Aspen Ideas Festival last week to talk about what his administration is doing to create economic mobility and opportunity for all its citizens. When it comes to putting people to work in Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore says he embraces the ethos he first learned when he joined the U.S. Army as a teenager: Leave No One Behind. "It's a great lens on how we should view our work. It's not just because it's important psychologically, it's important for mission accomplishment. It's a core criteria for mission accomplishment," he tells me in the interview. Moore says that "A growing economy is a participatory one. A stagnant and stalled economy is one where you have a huge swath of society that is not participating. Forget a moral sense, it doesn't make economic sense for us to do that. "If you continue to have areas and communities where you essentially have these deserts of economic activity, that's not benefiting anybody. It's not benefiting that local jurisdiction. It is not benefiting the state that local jurisdiction exists in." In our conversation around employment and jobs, Gov. Moore and I discuss the ways Maryland is building workforce development partnerships with nonprofits and employers to ensure that everyone in the state has a chance for economic mobility. He shares how the money from the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill is already creating thousands of jobs in Maryland alone, including good-paying union jobs in construction. Gov. Moore also addresses the economic reason he pardoned 175,000 people with misdemeanor cannabis convictions. And he tells me about the state's first-in-the nation public service year program for high school graduates that is designed to put teens and young adults on a pathway to a good-paying career. "Our high school graduates now have a chance to have a year of service to the State of Maryland. They can work in the environment. They can work in education. They can serve veterans. They can serve returning citizens. It's completely their choice. "But it's a year to have a paid opportunity making $15 and getting a $6,000 stipend at the end of it and to be able to go out and define that thing that makes your heartbeat a little bit faster and go after it. "We did it because we believe in experiential learning. We did it because we believe in paid financial cushions. We did it because we believe in this time of political divisiveness and vitriol that service will save us. "But also this has become a remarkable workforce development tool, where some of the first people that signed up have actually been the private sector who said, 'We'll take three of them.' When you think about that, the ability to democratize these opportunities by making sure that they are paid opportunities, really is crucial for any type of thing we're trying to get done," adds Gov. Moore. You can learn more about the work being done in Maryland to create and fill jobs in the podcast. Listen here, or get it wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on my Work in Progress YouTube channel. This podcast was recorded at the Aspen Ideas Festival, in collaboration with the Aspen Institute. Episode 323: Gov. Wes Moore, MarylandHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I am joined by John Mitchell, president & CEO, IPC International to discuss the increased demand for workers in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and how the group is developing the workforce of the present and the future. Semiconductors are the backbone of the digital economy, powering our cars, planes, medical tech, cybersecurity, our dishwashers and TVs, and they are at the heart of AI. Nearly everything we touch needs a chip, and commercial construction is surging in the U.S., driven in part by federal government investments designed to bring more chip manufacturing to the country. We've asked this question many times – and have heard the same answer – do we have enough workers in the wings ready to fill the tens of thousands of jobs that are expected as a result of this boom in manufacturing construction? The answer is "not yet." When we think of semiconductions, we simply think of the processor in our computer, says Mitchell. But, he explains, that small chip couldn't exist without the electronics manufacturers that IPC represents. "Let's use the analogy of a car. It's the engine of your car. And it's a fairly complex thing just like an engine is. "There are companies like Intel and TSMC and Samsung that really design and create the silicon. But the silicon, as itself, is not really good for much. But you add all the connections and 'wheels and doors' and electronics that tie through all of the systems. And when you put all of that together, then you end up with a 'car.' "So, we cover from the semiconductors to the assemblers, people that design the products, the board manufacturers, materials, and equipment manufacturers that help make all of that possible." That's a lot of moving parts and a lot of potential workers. "I've sat in a couple of workforce meetings on the CHIPS Act, and in the White House, and it seems to be about 50-50 technicians versus engineers that'll be directly working in the industry," Mitchell tells me. He says that while the engineers and researchers are highly-degreed roles, you don't need a degree for many of the technician roles and IPC can help you get the skills in electronics that you need to work in the chip industry. "IPC has credential programs where you can literally get a certification or a credential and develop those skills very quickly in a matter of hours. And you could be starting helping out in an electronics factory and then you continue to add from there. They are stackable credentials and there's pathways. "As of last November, we're the first federally-recognized electronics apprenticeship programs. We originally had two that were approved in November, and since then we've added another one. We expect to continue to add as time goes forward," says Mitchell. Want to know more about these workforce development training programs? Check out the podcast. You can listen here, or get it wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on my Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 322: John Mitchell, president & CEO, IPC InternationalHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by writer-producer Ron Friedman and David Gittins, executive director of Age Inclusion in Media, to talk about the way the media portrays older adults and how these stereotypes can have a profound impact on workers and job seekers in the real world. I'm going to start out by saying, you can read about this conversation, but I believe you need to hear it or watch it for yourself to really capture what it means to be portrayed as "out of your prime" just because of your age. At 91, Ron is a great example of someone whose creative mind and spirit are just as sharp as they were when he started writing more than 60 years ago. The name Ron Friedman may not be familiar to you, but there is no doubt you've heard of some of the television shows that he's written for in his career – All in the Family, Get Smart, The Odd Couple, Happy Days, and Starsky and Hutch to name a few. In all, Ron has written more than 700 episodes of television and is well-known among action hero fans for creating the animated series G.I. Joe and developing Transformers for American TV. Along with his good friend Stan Lee, the pair created The Marvel Action Hour. "I still get residuals. I still get fan mail. Somebody wrote to tell me that they loved my Odd Couple. I wrote that in the 70s, but they're still playing it. I must have known something valuable to contribute what I contributed to give something that life expectancy," Ron says. Yet, despite all the early success, as he got older, he found that he was getting hired for fewer and fewer writing jobs. He says it come down to ageism, and, unfortunately, it is something most older adults face today when they are looking for work, whether it is in entertainment or another industry. "Not only is it acceptable, but of all the protected classes – where you have to be on guard not to use the offensive terms or reproduce the memes that offensive – ageism is still not even considered," says Ron. Ron, David, and I sit on the board of Age Inclusion in Media, a nonprofit campaign to change the way older adults are portrayed in film, TV, and advertising. "It's still a very stereotypical way, and that's down to the fact that we don't have proper representation behind the screen. We don't have proper representation in the writer's room," David argues. "When we don't have older writers writing for older characters, we get stereotypical portrayals of what an older character is, which means we get tropes, we get cranky old characters, we get forgetful old characters, and we get sidekicks as opposed to central characters in their own lives." David says that this lack of representation, and the stereotypes it creates, has an impact on every older adult. "From what we show on screen teaches us how to believe and that then teaches us how to act. So, if we see older characters being portrayed as passive morons who are just leaching on society, then we start to treat older people like that in their life, which then circles back in and saying, we're not going to hire an older person because we know they're idiots. We know they're useless because we've seen not on TV and we believe it." Ron says we've got to stop telling the "same old story." Older adults, like all of us, come in many different shapes and sizes - one stereotype doesn't fit al. Society needs to embrace that age is jus one part of who we are. We are an amalgamation of our life experiences - what we have learned at school, in our jobs, and just living our lives. Like everyone, it is very personal. He believes that despite already being "two and a half times older than Taylor Swift," the older he gets, the more he has to share. "Writers remind us of our humanity, and if we do it well, we create an event. Those are moments by which life becomes livable and beautiful and life is made up of moments. That's what we remember. It doesn't matter what you had for breakfast on Tuesd...

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Bijal Shah, Guild's new CEO, to discuss how big companies are helping their employees find their next career step inside or outside the company through education benefits. And, we look a new Guild partnership that's helping Olympians find their next career beyond sports. Shah is new to the job of CEO, assuming it full-time in April after 34-year-old CEO and co-founder Rachel Romer stepped down to focus on her continued recovery from a stroke she suffered last summer. The number of employer partners has grown over the years and now includes businesses like Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, and Target. With growth, Guild has had to deal with some of its own structural changes. In May, the company cut a quarter of its own workforce. "As Guild's business continues to grow, we must ensure that we deliver on our mission as efficiently and effectively as possible...we have decided to restructure our organization," Shah said in a statement. "While difficult, these changes will ensure that moving forward, we operate more efficiently, innovate faster, and continue to deliver strong outcomes for our stakeholders," she added. Guild's role with the partner companies is around creating education benefits, including training programs that will arm the workers with in-demand skills. Shah says this has proven beneficial for employers and employees alike. "We are solving a problem. These (employees) are craving learning opportunities. They want to get their associate's degrees or bachelor's degrees. They want to further educate themselves, and the alternative is taking on student debt. This is a way that they don't have to do that. "Our data shows across our broad employer population, those who go through Guild are two times less likely to leave their employers than those who do not. There's an immediate retention benefit. "We also see benefits in attracting talent. When people are thinking about employers of choice, one of the things that I think folks are thinking about is how is the employer going to invest in me as the employee in a way that outlives even working at that employer or the specific job I have right now," Shah adds. One of the sets of skills employers are looking for is "durable" or "soft" skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and risk assessment. We go into the "how" of teaching those skills in the conversation. We also take a look at the new partnership with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee that is providing education benefits to current and former Olympians. "Many of the athletes don't actually get those huge multimillion-dollar sponsorships, they're living paycheck to paycheck. They spend all their time investing in their athletic careers, and then one day their athletic career ends and they need to find their second act," Shah says. Find out the details of the education plan in the podcast. And you can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 320: Bijal Shah, CEO, GuildHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Bijal Shah, Guild's new CEO, to discuss how big companies are helping their employees find their next career step inside or outside the company through education benefits. And, we look a new Guild partnership that's helping Olympians find their next career beyond sports. Shah is new to the job of CEO, assuming it full-time in April after 34-year-old CEO and co-founder Rachel Romer stepped down to focus on her continued recovery from a stroke she suffered last summer. The number of employer partners has grown over the years and now includes businesses like Chipotle, Discover, Hilton, and Target. With growth, Guild has had to deal with some of its own structural changes. In May, the company cut a quarter of its own workforce. "As Guild's business continues to grow, we must ensure that we deliver on our mission as efficiently and effectively as possible...we have decided to restructure our organization," Shah said in a statement. "While difficult, these changes will ensure that moving forward, we operate more efficiently, innovate faster, and continue to deliver strong outcomes for our stakeholders," she added. Guild's role with the partner companies is around creating education benefits, including training programs that will arm the workers with in-demand skills. Shah says this has proven beneficial for employers and employees alike. "We are solving a problem. These (employees) are craving learning opportunities. They want to get their associate's degrees or bachelor's degrees. They want to further educate themselves, and the alternative is taking on student debt. This is a way that they don't have to do that. "Our data shows across our broad employer population, those who go through Guild are two times less likely to leave their employers than those who do not. There's an immediate retention benefit. "We also see benefits in attracting talent. When people are thinking about employers of choice, one of the things that I think folks are thinking about is how is the employer going to invest in me as the employee in a way that outlives even working at that employer or the specific job I have right now," Shah adds. One of the sets of skills employers are looking for is "durable" or "soft" skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and risk assessment. We go into the "how" of teaching those skills in the conversation. We also take a look at the new partnership with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee that is providing education benefits to current and former Olympians. "Many of the athletes don't actually get those huge multimillion-dollar sponsorships, they're living paycheck to paycheck. They spend all their time investing in their athletic careers, and then one day their athletic career ends and they need to find their second act," Shah says. Find out the details of the education plan in the podcast. And you can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 320: Bijal Shah, CEO, GuildHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Steven Lee, CEO of the SkillUp Coalition, a nonprofit that has already supported two million people looking for training and job pathways in in-demand careers. We discuss the first four years of the organization's work, and what is ahead this summer, including the launch of a new AI-powered tool. The SkillUp online platform is free. It offers both a curated selection of training programs that are low-cost, short-term, and offer industry-recognized credentials, and a job search tool that lists work in high-demand industries needing the skills you can learn through that training. Lee explains that SkillUp purposely targets people without college degrees and earning under $40,000 a year to ensure they have equal access to careers offering livable wages plus benefits. "Our mission is really to give them a leg up in their journey towards a skilled, high-quality job. We've tried to make it easy and simple for them to get the highest-quality information for them to make the right choice – whether that's the right career that someone should choose, whether that's the right training program from which they might get a credential to get that skill. "We select programs that are a combination of low-cost because sometimes folks don't have the financial resources, short-term because sometimes folks don't have the time, and as best as we can, some proxy of quality. From the hundreds of thousands of programs out there, we've selected down to a few thousands that we think are best-in-class." Lee says the organization's jobs tool only lists jobs that don't require a college degree. "The jobs have to pay living wage in their local community, based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator. They also have to be with companies that we've identified as being good at upskilling their workers," he explains. Lee describes the SkillUp platform as a "choose your own journey" platform, with the user picking the types of training and jobs that they want to explore on their own. In July, the nonprofit is rolling out a new tool – powered by AI – that it hopes will help the user discover even more career pathway options by "recommending" very specific programs to that individual. It's called CareerNavGPT and it was developed by SkillUp in partnership with Brighthive, AdeptID, and Burning Glass Institute. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the CareerNavGPT tool will work. Lee and I also talk about the push toward skills-first hiring and whether employers are truly acting on the idea. You can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 319: Steven Lee, CEO, SkillUp CoalitionHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of Work in Progress, I'm joined by Steven Lee, CEO of the SkillUp Coalition, a nonprofit that has already supported two million people looking for training and job pathways in in-demand careers. We discuss the first four years of the organization's work, and what is ahead this summer, including the launch of a new AI-powered tool. The SkillUp online platform is free. It offers both a curated selection of training programs that are low-cost, short-term, and offer industry-recognized credentials, and a job search tool that lists work in high-demand industries needing the skills you can learn through that training. Lee explains that SkillUp purposely targets people without college degrees and earning under $40,000 a year to ensure they have equal access to careers offering livable wages plus benefits. "Our mission is really to give them a leg up in their journey towards a skilled, high-quality job. We've tried to make it easy and simple for them to get the highest-quality information for them to make the right choice – whether that's the right career that someone should choose, whether that's the right training program from which they might get a credential to get that skill. "We select programs that are a combination of low-cost because sometimes folks don't have the financial resources, short-term because sometimes folks don't have the time, and as best as we can, some proxy of quality. From the hundreds of thousands of programs out there, we've selected down to a few thousands that we think are best-in-class." Lee says the organization's jobs tool only lists jobs that don't require a college degree. "The jobs have to pay living wage in their local community, based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator. They also have to be with companies that we've identified as being good at upskilling their workers," he explains. Lee describes the SkillUp platform as a "choose your own journey" platform, with the user picking the types of training and jobs that they want to explore on their own. In July, the nonprofit is rolling out a new tool – powered by AI – that it hopes will help the user discover even more career pathway options by "recommending" very specific programs to that individual. It's called CareerNavGPT and it was developed by SkillUp in partnership with Brighthive, AdeptID, and Burning Glass Institute. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how the CareerNavGPT tool will work. Lee and I also talk about the push toward skills-first hiring and whether employers are truly acting on the idea. You can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 319: Steven Lee, CEO, SkillUp CoalitionHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the transcript for this episode hereWork in Progress Podcast: Catch up on previous episodes here

In this episode of the Work in Progress podcast, Gayle Goldin, deputy director for the Women's Bureau at the U.S. Department of Labor, joins me to talk about some of the longstanding barriers to good-paying jobs facing some women in the workforce today, and what is being done to fix the problems. Women are a critical part of the U.S. labor force and contribute significantly to their families' economic security and the U.S. economy, filling half of all jobs in the country. But women continue to experience longstanding disparities in the labor force – overrepresentation in certain lower-paying jobs, underrepresentation in other higher-paying ones. When the pandemic hit, women, particularly women of color, were overrepresented in the sectors of the economy suffering the largest job losses – retail, hospitality, and education. Also, many women found it too hard to continue to work with the pandemic's additional impact of closed schools, lack of childcare, and fear of illness. According to Goldin, "The women's labor force jobs often tie to care and service jobs and are undervalued. You're a hotel worker. You're a restaurant worker. You are in the care economies, providing child care or elder care. We also see that the jobs are at the lowest end of the pay scale, around minimum wage. They're not paid as much as higher-paid, predominantly male-dominated jobs. That's where we see that real disparity." While the number of women in the workforce has returned to pre-pandemic levels, that doesn't mean the playing field is level, according to Goldin. "We lost ground because of COVID. We still feel the reverberations of that a little bit. There certainly still is a gender wage gap," she tells me in the podcast. "One of the things that we look at when we talk about the gender wage gap is what kind of jobs women are in – economists call this 'occupational segregation.'" She uses the example of skilled trade jobs. "Women only make up 4% of the skilled trades. Yet, particularly in those unionized jobs, those are pretty high-paying jobs, with good job quality. We want to make sure we're finding pathways for women to both improve the quality of the jobs that they have, and new paths for women to enter into careers that are traditionally higher paying." What does this mean in dollars and cents? Here are the numbers from the Women's Bureau for 2020, the latest year with full data comparing the media wages of women who work full-time, year-round to the wages of men who worked full-time, year-round:  "All women were paid, on average, 83% of what men were paid. Or put another way, women were paid 83 cents to every dollar paid to men.   Many women of color were paid even less. For example, Black women were paid 64%, and Hispanic women (of any race) were paid 57% of what white non-Hispanic men were paid."  Goldin and I discuss what the federal government is doing to encourage and support creation of those new paths to higher-paying careers and to address the need to provide supportive services to women for child care and elder care and for paid leave. She says these are important issues for women, their families, and the U.S. economy. "The good news is women are back in the workforce, back up to the pre-pandemic levels. We have seen some growth in the amount of women with (young) children being able to enter the workforce, and that's great too. And we need to keep going with the policy change that we need to see, so that we get the strongest economic growth that we can get." You can listen to the podcast here, or download and listen wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it on our Work in Progress YouTube channel. Episode 318: Gayle Goldin, deputy director, U.S. Department of Labor Women's BureauHost & Executive Producer: Ramona Schindelheim, Editor-in-Chief, WorkingNationProducer: Larry BuhlTheme Music: Composed by Lee Rosevere and licensed under CC by 4Transcript: Download the tra...