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In a tight labor market, technical training is everything

Apr 20, 2023
Employers need more skilled workers, and some technical and community colleges are getting more funding to train them.
There has been an uptick in overall state funding for technical and community colleges, which hospitals often rely on to train registered nurses and surgical technicians.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Filling jobs in the new U.S. offshore wind industry is a "huge challenge"

Jul 25, 2022
Good-paying jobs are a selling point with renewable energy projects. In Massachusetts, training programs are popping up to get people ready.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Cape Cod offers a safety training class that is required to work in offshore wind jobs.
Samantha Fields/Marketplace

Some are leaving white collar fields to work with their hands

Mar 22, 2022
With demand high in sectors like construction, some people are using the "Great Resignation" to go in a new direction.
Danielle Chagnon fits a piece of molding beneath a window sill during class at the North Bennet Street School in Boston's North End. Chagnon wants to make a career change from being a math teacher to a contractor.
Jesse Costa/WBUR

How much is the U.S. investing in apprenticeship programs?

The infrastructure bill that recently passed in the Senate highlights a disturbing and long-neglected shortage in apprenticeship investments.
While the U.S. invests a lot of money in public higher education, investments in employment training are comparatively slim.
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Airlines now have enough passengers, not enough crew

Jul 16, 2021
"It went from a lack of demand from passengers to a lack of supply for pilots overnight, like a light switch," a pilot says.
A pilot walks through LaGuardia Airport in New York before the Fourth of July weekend. While Americans are traveling again, airlines are struggling to train and retrain staff.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

Are short-term job training programs worth it?

Jul 6, 2021
Boot camps and certificate programs have a mixed track record when it comes to getting people jobs that pay well.
Boot camps, certificates and other short-term programs have a mixed track record when it comes to getting people jobs that pay well, though they may be a solution for some looking to reenter the workforce.
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Hiring is one thing, but training workers is another challenge for companies

Jun 24, 2021
The struggle isn't over once companies get past the hiring hurdle.
After hiring large numbers of employees, companies face the additional challenge of training them and passing on institutional knowledge.
Jeroen Jumelet/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

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Unemployed workers go back to school to get back to work

Feb 11, 2021
One in three unemployed workers has pursued more education or job training while out of work, the Pew Research Center says.
A woman covers her face, pausing while filling out a job application in San Francisco.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

How people without college degrees can find higher-paying jobs

Feb 4, 2021
Half of workers could earn more for similar work, says Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker.
There's a real "need to rescale and upskill people for the new economy that's going to be coming post-pandemic," says Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker.
Courtesy of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

The homebuilding industry still needs thousands of workers, and it's looking in new places to hire

Sep 17, 2020
A training program for high school students in the juvenile justice system aims to expand the pool of candidates for entry-level jobs.
A construction worker roofing an apartment complex in Uniondale, New York. Construction, generally considered essential, has continued in the pandemic.
Al Bello/Getty Images