Manpower: Meeting Workforce Demand with Skills Training

Manpower has undergone a transformation in the Springfield marketplace. They have changed the way they conduct business in the local branches. They hired a new market manager, Josiah Duda who came from Samsung Electronics America. Josiah is excited to drive an exceptional experience for the clients and associates in Springfield and surrounding areas. Manpower promoted Angela Cave to the newly formed position of market development lead. In addition to new staff, Manpower created new services to benefit the work force and ensure clients have the best contingent work force available.

The unemployment rate in the United States is at a 50 year low, and across all industries and business sizes, many employers face similar challenges struggling to find and retain talent. Businesses and corporations are fighting for talent in a shrinking labor pool and a wave of increasing skills gaps. Baby boomers are leaving the workforce in the thousands daily and there aren’t enough skilled candidates to take over their positions. “There are seven million jobs unfilled in the US right now and by 2025 up to two million could go unfilled.” says Angela Cave of Manpower.

There is a clear disconnect. From an employer perspective, organizations have open positions and can’t find skilled talent to meet demand, while workers are struggling to keep their skills up to date or to overcome lists of specific requirements for open jobs.

For business growth to continue and more people to benefit from today’s labor market, more people need to be matched to jobs based on their ability to learn new skills. To bridge this gap, Manpower is matching open roles with the skills workers have and helping people learn new skills to move up and earn more. ManpowerGroup’s MyPath™ offering helps people access jobs in growth sectors and develop in their careers through fast track learning programs, on-the-job training, certification and experience.

ManpowerGroup recently announced it will offer the General Education Diploma (GED) Program to over 30,000 Manpower associates at no personal cost.* Today there are more jobs than skilled workers across the country, yet over 70% of open jobs require a high school diploma or higher,** but 46% of U.S. employers report difficulty filling roles.

In partnership with Pearson, the world’s learning company and a leading provider of education content and services, Manpower associates will be offered access to best-in-class online GED® preparation courses, unlimited practice tests, and personal coaching support from application through graduation enabling them to earn their high school equivalency diploma within weeks.

Manpower associates are also able to obtain certifications in areas like:
• Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable
• Warehouse logistics/LEED
• Customer service/call center
• Human Resource Administration

“We are preparing people for what jobs will be like in five years, preparing for the Skills Revolution today,” says Cave.

Manpower is partnering with corporations like Rockwell Automation, targeting America’s veterans in powering the next generation of advanced digital manufacturing high tech roles. “As technology and new positions require a more savvy and creative problem solving workforce, we are focused on closing the gap by building the talent and skills that clients need while providing people guidance and access to jobs that enhance employability,” says Cave. “We are streamlining for people who want the skills to have success.”