Much has been written and discussed regarding the widening technology skills gap and its implications as companies in every sector invest in large, expensive digital transformation projects. As a recent study by Accenture found, there are 7 million job openings and only 5.8 million available workers.
But in reality, the 1.2 million difference only scratches the surface and doesn’t address the underlying problem of lack of training and skills. As a result, the workforce required to bridge the gap needs to be highly specialized.
However, the most common alternatives – like coding boot camps and traditional IT programs at universities– aren’t usually able to provide potential job candidates with access to the critical, specialized training required by modern enterprises.
Jobs are growing more complicated every year, with corporate expectations rising all while not taking on the full responsibility for creating a talent acquisition strategy and pipeline necessary for incoming programmers to succeed. This widening tech skills gap and subsequent pressure to bring on the best talent is felt across all organizations and departments, but perhaps none bear the brunt more than HR.
While many believe the responsibility for addressing the skills gap falls on academic institutions, here are three immediate and impactful paths that companies can take to bridge the skills divide.
Dive into a non-traditional talent pool
Beyond the 1.2 million gaps between job openings to available workers, there are roughly 70,000 computer science graduates per year, making up less than 4% of the total conferred bachelor’s degrees. Even worse, only about two-thirds of those graduates land a programming job. When you factor in the amount of competition for those graduates, the vast majority of companies are left in the lurch trying to find qualified candidates for their open positions.
However, computer science graduates – even related STEM majors – aren’t the only ones who possess the skills necessary to be an impactful programmer. The logical reasoning, complex problem-solving skills, and curiosity that the best developers need can be found in graduates from institutions and majors outside the borders of what is considered to be the traditional job requirements. By focusing on those skills and the aptitude and attitude your company looks for, HR leaders can catalyze growth by delivering qualified talent by merely looking at a wider pool of applicants. Although widening the talent aperture may seem daunting, doing so will open your organization to increased levels of diversity of thought, experience, and background, which are necessary to be competitive. To ensure early and continued success for these non-traditional programmers, corporations will need to start offering continuous learning benefits. As more HR leaders and organizations broaden their talent pools, they will effectively begin closing the overall skills gap.
Public/Private Partnerships
While networking and active recruiting will always be an excellent avenue to identify and place candidates, the reality is that not everyone is fortunate enough to have those connections, particularly in tech. Just as they do for government agencies and enterprises, public-private partnerships present a massive opportunity for companies to develop and implement programs at colleges and universities that offer practical, targeted curriculum. These partnerships also provide invaluable networking opportunities for students to connect as well as the business community at large. With nearly every company having its technological footprints, public-private partnerships offer curated programs that are mutually beneficial to universities and corporations.
Today, companies already recognize the merits and opportunities of these public-private partnerships. They are working alongside academic institutions to train students on the technical skills they need to succeed in today’s tech-first world.
For companies that are looking to make inroads in a specific region, broaching a public-private partnership – often beginning with something as simple as a career fair, guest lectures, or partnerships with IT programs– can be a mutually beneficial alternative for students, institutions, and companies.
Apprenticeships Aren’t Just for the Trades
For centuries, apprenticeships were synonymous with the trades, yet when broken down to their core, principles apprenticeships are on-the-job training programs. Whereas internships often offer an exploratory experience to determine a student’s future career path, apprenticeships offer applied learning – impactful training and experience – for a chosen career path under the tutelage of experts that are invested in the developmental process. Companies like Accenture and others are already investing in apprenticeship programs that tap into the non-traditional, deep well of potential candidates that are often overlooked, yet eager for an opportunity to show they’re up to the challenge. Whether they’re community college students or other alternative candidates, instilling the necessary technical skills while hiring and developing motivated, diverse, and devoted talent will be a crucial driver of success for companies moving forward. Apprenticeships are also a natural extension to public-private partnerships for companies looking to make long-term, deep commitments to a given institution or region.
As the rate of digital transformation and innovation continues to increase, companies will continue to face pressure to hire qualified, impactful tech talent, and HR leaders are going to bear the brunt of that effort. As leaders of culture and growth, HR can serve as a change agent within the broader organization by helping adopt alternative solutions, like apprenticeships or public-private partnerships. As these alternative solutions continue to bear fruit, the overall technical skills gap will inherently begin shrinking, which is the best-case scenario for all parties. Technology is about innovation at its foundation, so it’s time to apply those principles to the skills gap by taking a solutions-oriented approach.
This article originally appeared on HR Technologist.
