Page 14 - SKILLS - 2023

WHAT’S NEW IN SKILLS
Meeting Candidates Where They Are
Employers are embracing other accommodations as well. Some are reducing educational and experience requirements for certain jobs, Chapin says, following the lead of some states, like Pennsylvania, that have eliminated college requirements for
a variety of state jobs. They are also “making more and better use of social media” in recruiting, he says. “There
is a greater focus on local recruiting. It used to be all Monster, LinkedIn, Indeed, recruiting nationally, but that was unmanageable.”
To find local workers, employers are forging a closer relationship with local colleges and universities. “They are more active in on-campus recruiting,” he says, holding events more than just once or twice a year, as in the past. The WCA helped by hosting a “Dean’s
Roundtable,” at which colleges and local accounting firms met so the firms got to know the schools and their facilities, while also marketing their businesses to the college’s placement centers.
Firms are also learning how to meet the needs of this younger population of workers.
“Even though the labor market is restructuring, employers are meeting candidates halfway,” Chapin says,
by increasing salaries and benefits, offering flexible schedules and remote work, and providing more training opportunities for them to be successful. “In the old days it was, ‘give me someone who is job-ready.’ Now employers are committed to doing more training,” he says. “Companies are also making bigger investments in recruitment and retention. I’ve heard that Gen Z workers change jobs once
a year. We are hoping they will see the benefits of loyalty and longevity.”
Another goal is connecting with workers who don’t have advanced education. One-third of working-age adults have a high school diploma
or less, Chapin says. “I think we have to do a better job of helping young adults and even teens understand what opportunities are out there and create more and better career pathway programs. There are
many trade jobs out there, and
a lot of money in the pipeline for infrastructure will create a significant opportunity for those who don’t want to go to college. The whole proposition of going to a four-year college and making that money back is harder. [Job seekers] can do
a certificate or credential program, spend a fraction of the cost, and still make a great salary.”
12 2023SKILLS What’sHot.What’sNext.What’sNeeded.
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