One year ago, I had the honor and privilege of starting as the third President and CEO of the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW). It has been an amazing journey of learning and engaging with partners nationally and internationally. During the holiday season, I reflected on some of the most important trends that impacted work and learning in 2018 and wanted to share my thoughts to start an exciting year ahead for CSW and the workforce community.
- Competency is becoming the new currency: Traditional proxies of knowledge and skill such as college degrees and work experience are increasingly insufficient measures of an individual’s potential. The perpetual skills mismatch, persistent inequities and rapid technological advancements demand a better way to meet future workforce challenges. Organizations in the U.S. and globally are focused on determining key competencies using frameworks, mapping those to jobs and collaborating with industry, education, and diverse communities to tackle this challenge.
- Cities are leading innovation: Federal impasses and divisions in funding and policy have moved the locus of innovation to the local level. Cities and regions are stepping up to address local skills gaps, social inequities, and devise inclusive economic development strategies. CSW projects in Atlanta, Dallas, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia support dedicated community leaders tackling systemic workforce issues. I marvel at the innovation and collaboration happening across the country to create opportunity for all.
- Detroit is on the rise: Detroit has come a long way since the bankruptcy of 2013, and signs of urban renewal and community growth can be seen around the city. Challenges certainly remain, but the investment of philanthropy, strong community based organizations, and the tireless work of public agencies are moving the city forward.
- Demand for data continues to grow: Workforce practitioners and leaders need good data to drive evidence-based decision making. However, barriers still complicate collection, quality, and integration leaving gaps in measuring both outcomes and best practices. The Workforce Benchmarking Network (WBN) continues to lead nationally in analyzing these issues through collaboration and coordination with communities determined to increase their capacity and make change.
As we look to 2019 and celebrating our 28th year of workforce leadership, we have exciting opportunities to contribute to advancing sustainable communities and workforce innovation.
- In 2018 we launched The Competency Project, a center within CSW focused on accelerating the use of competencies as the primary currency in the labor market. The center will focus on research, technology tools and helping organizations prepare for the future of work and learning using competencies.
- The CSW Workforce Benchmarking Network (WBN) will conduct a national survey in 2019 strengthening community-based organizations capacity to better access and use data to improve outcomes. We look forward to hearing from hundreds of organizations on their programs building on previous work and opportunities.
- We continue research into how automation and artificial intelligence will impact industry sectors and career pathways. In 2018 we completed exciting projects in this area including unmanned autonomous vehicle technologies, augmented and virtual reality, and cybersecurity. In 2019, we will be releasing a yearlong study funded by the Walmart foundation on the future of work in the retail sector.
On behalf of the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce board of directors and staff, we want to wish you a happy and prosperous 2019. We are thankful for all of our funders, clients, and partners for making our work and contributions possible. Stay tuned for more to come in what promises to be an exciting year ahead!
Ryan Davis
President and CEO
Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
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