WORKFORCE
As technology advances, the availability of qualified workers is an increasing challenge – and is inextricably tied to leadership in innovation, national security, and global competitiveness. Regions able to provide access to talent have a competitive advantage. They are better positioned to attract investments that lead to the development of high-value ecosystems and the advanced manufacturers they support.
Through its National Talent Pipeline Development Initiative, NIIT is taking the lead in developing a national strategy and infrastructure to grow and maintain the talent pipeline needed to power the nation’s strategic, tech-based industries.
With the increasing number of individuals in search of careers with a living wage and the shortfall of talent in advanced manufacturing and strategic industry sectors, advancing “learn and earn” models and developing infrastructure that ensures alignment between industry, training/education providers, and incumbent workers/job seekers will open up access to currently underserved populations. This is a priority for NIIT.
Programs
To engage students in experimental opportunities providing a pathway to leverage skills for continuous learning.
Infrastructure
To build and seamlessly connect the talent pipeline to educational institutions and industries in need of talent.
Scalablity
By creating regional partnerships tailored to the needs for talent, educational assets, and requirements of the region.
NIIT’s approach to workforce development emphasizes a more transparent communication between individuals, educators, and industry.
Individuals
Individuals searching for work or a career can range from students to incumbent workers, the under or unemployed, and typically can come from many diverse backgrounds. Although many systems are dedicated to assisting individuals in making career choices or finding worthwhile employment, most are focused on individual employer needs, offerings of local institutions, or specific groups of individuals.
The current education system does not truly measure and match job competency and proficiency requirements to individuals and course content, and measurements of outcomes are typically limited to the number of placements and limited time horizons. Most workforce development programs are regional, reactive, and not calibrated to the speed of change being experienced by today’s advanced industries that are moving at an unprecedented pace due to the fast pace of advances in technology.
NIIT’s state-of-the-art systems and scalable approaches are designed to address current shortcomings within a nationally integrated infrastructure. The NIIT has developed scalable solutions that connect a broader population to careers, align training and job requirements, and engage students early on in K-12 throughout a continuum of experiential learning, ultimately broadening the talent pipeline by creating access for all segments of the population.
Educators
The U.S. has large numbers of highly qualified institutions that stand ready to train and educate citizens and a public K-12 system available to the entire population. Yet, in many cases, the numbers generated from the education system do not meet the needs of strategic industry sectors. Cost-effective training and education aligned with the job requirements of technical careers and advanced manufacturing are not always available.
The development of programs that prepare individuals for careers within an industry provides greater value for the individual as well as the training provider. The NIIT’s infrastructure allows training and education institutions to ensure detailed, real-time alignment with the job requirements of strategic industry sectors, reducing the efforts required to manually seek out industries' input and offering greater value to potential students.
Industries
Across all industries, employers have certain fundamental expectations and demands which are often referred to as “work readiness.” Basic skills such as communication, self-discipline, and the ability to get along with others are prerequisites to be considered employable or “work ready” regardless of the industry. To progress and excel in the work environments of today, individuals must also acquire more specific competencies above and beyond “work readiness”. To acquire these industry-specific competencies, there is a need to ensure training and education reflect the actual needs of the industry and include meaningful methods to evaluate and track an individual’s e competency and proficiency levels.
The NIIT’s infrastructure and programs have been designed for use by all states and regions to ensure that they can support the needs of strategic industry sectors.
