Professional blog

Shadowing dad from the start

“As a little girl, I followed in my dad’s footsteps—literally,” says Holley Thomas.

“Carpentry has always been his hobby, and he had a workshop in every house we lived in.”

“I followed him around, watched him build things out of wood, and asked a lot of questions along the way.”

It’s an approach that has served Holley very well later in life.

Going to college like dad, too

When it came time to apply to college, Holley says she again followed in her father’s footsteps.

“I enrolled at Mississippi State—just like he had decades earlier.”

“But I learned very quickly that college wasn’t for me.”

After her freshman year, Holley left Mississippi State and moved back home to live with her parents.

“At that point, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in terms of a career,” Holley says, “but I was sure that a traditional four-year degree wasn’t the right path.”

Finding her own way

After a few months of soul-searching back home, Holley says she had a conversation with her dad about her future.

“He told me about a robotics program he’d heard of at the local community college,” Holley says.

“I’d always liked working with my hands, and always trusted my dad, so I made an appointment to talk to the Program Director.”

Holley says her instincts proved right.

“After our conversation, I signed up for classes.”

Degree requirements

A year and a half into her two-year robotics program, Holley says she had a surprising realization.

“As I was reviewing the course requirements for graduation, I saw a welding course on the list.”

“I thought to myself, ‘I don’t want to do this. I’ll probably be in a hot shop with a bunch of smelly guys.’”

“But I was truly enjoying school for the first time in my life, and I was so close to finally earning my degree, so I bit the bullet and signed up.”

An unexpected love

The first day of welding class, Holley says she showed up in shorts and flip flops.

“I learned very quickly that it wasn’t the proper attire,” she says.

After that initial hiccup, Holley says, everything changed.

“The second week of class, we went to the shop to weld for the first time.”

“I fell in love that first time I struck an arc.”

“After I earned my two-year degree,” Holley says, “I stayed on an extra year to get my full welding certificate.”

More than a model employee

Today, Holley is Lead Quality Inspector at KBR, a global engineering and construction company.

During the day, she manages the welding operations on complex construction sites in Oklahoma.

Four evenings per week, she is a welding instructor, teaching courses to her KBR colleagues.

Throughout the year, Holley says she travels the country to talk to high school students about her experiences in the construction industry.

In 2015, Holley’s hard work was formally recognized when she was named Craft Professional of the Year by Associated Builders and Contractors.

She was nominated by her colleagues at KBR, who submitted an essay celebrating Holley as a top welder, a generous teacher, and a leader in her field, helping to recruit women to a traditionally male-dominated industry.

“It feels so good to know that I am viewed as a positive light for my company and for the industry overall,” Holley says.

An open mind, and an attitude to live by

Holley says she owes her professional success to two things: parents who encouraged her to pursue her own path—and a positive attitude.

“The coolest thing about my parents—and especially my dad—is that they’ve always been supportive of my siblings and me, no matter what,” Holley says.

“They encourage us to follow our dreams, and are there to help pick us up if we fall or fail.”

Holley says the personal mantra she’s developed as a welder is rooted in their positivity and open-mindedness.

“I come to work every day with a great attitude, wanting to learn something new.”

“Taking the initiative to expand my skillset makes me a better employee,” Holley says.

“And it makes me a better instructor and mentor, too.”

Looking forward to the future

Holley says that in the future, she plans to become more involved in recruiting new members to her industry.

In particular, she says, she wants to offer support, advice, and encouragement to young women considering a career in construction.

“I was once in their shoes, unsure of my future,” Holley says.

“Without that encouragement, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“Now it’s my turn to pay it forward.”

Being a leader can be challenging at the best of times, but even more so in a crisis situation like the current pandemic. Transitioning Survey findings from Pearson identified that people’s satisfaction with the work from home experience has declined: Only 82% of those in the US are currently satisfied with working remotely versus 93% in early March.

But how do you lead well when you can’t physically meet with the people you are leading? Here are our tips for effective leadership in a virtual world

1. Focus on inspiration and motivation, rather than just managing or controlling

Motivating and inspiring leadership strategies are especially important when leading virtually because we lack many social cues and tools we usually use to influence others. Be more mindful and practice this.

Examples of these types of strategies include:

• Displaying ethical and inspiring behavior, taking a stand, and acting with conviction.
• Supporting others and attending to their individual needs.
• Motivating others by projecting a positive vision.
• Supporting innovation and creativity.

2. Be optimistic, but honest

In times like these, people look to their leaders for hope, while also expecting honesty and transparency. This can be a difficult balance, when you might be experiencing personal stress and worry and often have to communicate bad news.

We recommend:

• Delivering information in a timely manner, and in a compassionate, caring, and straightforward way. Here is a checklist from the CDC on how to communicate in a crisis.
• Giving others an opportunity to process the information, and a space to share their thoughts and experiences.
• Finding opportunities for realistic optimism, pointing toward the future and highlighting ways that everyone can work towards it.

3. Support trust and cohesion within virtual teams

It can be challenging for virtual teams to develop trust and cohesion.

As a leader, you can:

• Set norms and processes around communication.
• Encourage and schedule time for personal and social conversations as well as work discussions.
• Include regular opportunities for video conferencing, which allows for much richer interaction.
• Be a role model for these strategies.

4. Provide frequent and explicit opportunities for coordination

Because virtual teams have fewer opportunities to spontaneously interact and coordinate work, it is particularly important to provide clear channels and expectations for communication and coordination.

Leaders play a key role in establishing these norms and expectations, such as:

• Plan regular calls so that everyone in the group can share their progress.
• Use instant message or chat functions to take the place of impromptu in-person meetings.

5. Take care of your own mental health

Leaders are not immune to experiencing worries, stress, anxiety, or sadness at times of uncertainty. In fact, you may experience a unique set of stressors, making it all the more important for you to take the time to take care of yourself. For strategies to do this, read our blog on wellness.

Right now many of us are juggling working in a new environment, becoming a teacher for our kids, caring for our family full time and dealing with the anxiety that comes from living in the middle of a pandemic. We’re all feeling pretty stressed. Self-care is crucial for managing these negative emotions and being resilient.

Here are six tips based on the science of learning to help you get through this:

1. Look after your physical and mental well-being

If possible, continue your current self-care practices since it is easier to stick to existing habits. However, many of us will have to alter or discover new ones.

Here are some ideas if you are stuck at home for a few weeks:

• Take care of your body by eating healthy, well-balanced meals, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.
• Work up a sweat with at-home or individual exercise activities by following workout videos on YouTube, using Fitness Apps for HIIT or strength training, or by hitting the pavement for a walk or run outside.
• Practice relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation. If you’re new to this, here are a few options to start.
• Make time for appropriate activities that bring you happiness and joy. These might include cooking, listening to music, taking a warm bath, crafting, reading, or watching TV or movies.

2. Maintain social connections

For introverts and extroverts alike, the activities that are most important for promoting our well-being are inherently social, which can make this period where we are encouraged to be physically distant from our loved ones particularly difficult. It is all the more important to maintain our social connections, using technology to help us stay psychologically close.

• Use the many different modes of communication at our fingertips – voice calls, text, social media. Video especially can make us feel closer.
• Since interactions will not come up as naturally during this period, be more intentional about scheduling time to speak with friends and family. They will be excited to hear from you.
• These conversations will be important opportunities to relieve stress by sharing your feelings with others. In addition, try to incorporate fun, play a game virtually or watch the same movie together.

3. Create structure and a schedule

Watching the news can make us feel a lack of control, which fuels stress. Control what you can and maintain as much normalcy as possible.

• Develop a schedule and try to stick to your new routine. You can start with activities that support good eating and sleep habits, and fill in with both fun and necessary activities. Scheduling in regular opportunities for self-care can help us stick to those plans.
• For those who are transitioning into remote work, maintaining a schedule can help ensure dedicated time for work while also protecting individual relaxation and family time.
• Particularly for families who have young children home from school, maintaining a schedule may seem daunting. Be kind to yourself as you work through new processes and routines. Much of the benefit of the schedule comes from thoughtfully making one, not perfectly following one.

4. Be a smart media consumer

It is important to find a balance regarding media consumption. With situations changing quickly in a crisis, it is useful to follow the news in order to keep up-to-date. On the other hand, repeatedly viewing (often negative) news stories can increase stress and anxiety.

Consider taking breaks from viewing the news, or schedule specific times to check the news. It can also be helpful to limit your media consumption to a few, trusted sites, which can help keep you from hearing the same information repeatedly.

5. Seek additional help if needed

During times such as these, it is completely normal to experience elevated levels of stress along with other negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger, and frustration. If these persist or worsen and begin to cause significant distress or dysfunction, seek additional help.

More specific warning signs include:

• Persistent anxiety, worry, insomnia, or irritability.
• Withdrawing from appropriate social contact.
• Persistently checking for symptoms or seeking reassurance about one’s health.
• Abusing alcohol or drugs.
• Experience of suicidal thoughts or actions.

Many therapists are transitioning to providing telemedicine so you get professional support without needing to meet in person. Find a therapist from a site like Psychology Today. Those with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with treatment.

6. Practice empathy

We are in many ways overwhelmed with information and recommendations and it can be easy to fall into the trap of judging others for their choices. But many are having to weigh financial concerns with public health and personal safety, and making difficult decisions.

• Hanging on to judgment and anger at others can be counter productive. It can cause our personal stress levels to elevate and can break down the social bonds that are so important to weathering crises. Try to practice empathy by considering the perspectives of others. Understanding why someone has made a different decision from you can help you be more compassionate. Loving-Kindness Meditation can also support compassion and empathy. This type of meditation involves mentally sending kindness and goodwill to others. Read more here.
• But also, don’t let trying to practice self-care stress you out. Do the best you can and be kind to yourself and others.

As the Coronavirus continues to spread, organizations like the World Health Organization and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending strategies to reduce the spread in communities. A big part of keeping people healthy involves minimizing contact at work and during the commute.

But for many people, teleworking is new and it can be a real challenge, especially if multiple members of the same family-parents and kids-are all trying to work and study together under the same roof.

Nearly one-fifth of Pearson’s employees around the globe work from home full time and thousands more split their time between their home and an office. It’s been part of our company’s culture for years. But, not everyone is a regular in their own home office. If working from home is new to you, we’ve compiled the best tips from our own teleworking employees to help you get through this uncertain time.

Maximize the technology your company has to offer

Confirm the tools available to you while working remotely. That may mean practicing with new technology. It may also mean remembering to take home simple items from your desk or asking your employer for what you think you might need.

Things like a monitor can ease eye strain and a separate keyboard or mouse can be more comfortable while typing. Grab a headset or earbuds from the office so calls and video conferences are easier. You probably can’t take the desk chair from your office, but you are going to need to carve out some kind of dedicated space. Think about how you would manage space if multiple people in your house need to work and study together.

Set expectations now with your boss and colleagues about communication

Agree where, when, and how to best communicate with your team to create awareness and enable efficiencies. Be deliberate about scheduling meeting times and quick check-ins. Will you huddle for 15 minutes virtually first thing in the morning or have a quick wrap up in the evening?

Consider less email and more talking, especially via video conferencing. This can be an uncertain time, so it’s going to be reassuring to hear and see colleagues. Leave your video camera on during meetings – facial expressions and personal connection mean a lot right now.

Create opportunities to talk beyond work discussions

Plan virtual coffee breaks or consider extending virtual meetings to account for all of the chit-chat that you miss by not being in the office. Having extra time in a meeting makes a difference in the quality and depth of a work discussion.

But it also allows you to understand your colleagues better and what they are going through right now. You can ask about people’s work experiences, families or even the photos you now see on their walls. You can introduce your dog, share funny memes or just talk about how everyone is coping with the current situation. Mostly just be human.

Set working hours and keep to them, scheduling time for work, meals, and when to disconnect

Unplugging is just harder when your work from home. Work can bleed into every part of your day if you let it. Set consistent hours and clearly socialize your schedule with colleagues. Get up, get out of your PJs and get dressed in the morning. Follow your regular morning routine as much as you can and let colleagues know when you expect to login and start your working day.

You may not be commuting, but if you have kids out of school you may need to set aside time in the morning to help them login and get started with their online lessons. You may need to stop during the day and care for a child or sick relative.

Communicate those needs to your team. During the day, block out time for work, but also reclaim your lunch and get away from your desk. Take short breaks and don’t let working from home merge into your evening or family time.

Give your colleagues a virtual pat on the back!

Now is the time when people need that inspiration and encouragement. So build up colleagues when you can, even if it’s an email shout-out to their boss, a thank you for going the extra mile or a “You got this!”.

The question we get asked most often is “what’s next?” As new technology, business practices, laws, and changes in the global economy are happening at breakneck speed, they’re creating needs for new and evolving occupations and career specialties. To meet these demands, we’ve provided a brief overview of what’s next — five innovative emerging fields of study that your institution should consider to help you stand out in a hyper-competitive online market.

In our evaluation, we scored fields of study based on a combination of the following key indicators of success:

• Student demand
• Employment opportunities
• Competitive intensity
• Search volume

Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence

With the rise in “big data,” interest in data analytics roles have shown rapid growth. Schools that are testing how to go to market with AI offerings are increasing as well. Course work covers such topics as natural language processing, cybernetics, human factors, computing theory, computer science, cognitive psychology, and/or engineering.

Current examples in market

MS in Artificial Intelligence

• University of Georgia: MS in Artificial Intelligence (on-campus)
• Columbia University: MicroMasters Credential in Artificial Intelligence (online)
• Northeastern University: Master of Professional Student In Enterprise Intelligence (online)

Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence

• Stanford University:Graduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (online)

BS in Data Analytics

• Washington State University: BS in Data Analytics (online)

MS in Data Analytics

• Maryville University: Master of Science in Business Data Analytics (online)
• Pennsylvania State University: Master of Professional Studies in Data Analytics with a concentration in Business Analytics (online)
• Robert Morris University: Master of Science in Data Analytics System (online)
• University of Washington: Master of Science in Information Management with a concentration in Data Science (hybrid)

Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics

• Pennsylvania State University: Business Analytics (online)

Substance Abuse Nursing

Every day, more than 115 people in the US die after overdosing on opioids. As the drug abuse epidemic continues, more qualified nurse practitioners are needed to tackle the problem head on. Substance Abuse Nurses must be able to monitor patient treatments, administer medications, speak with patients regarding aid programs, educate on the dangers of drugs, alcohol, or addiction, and provide support to patients.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) provides Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners the opportunity to demonstrate their nursing knowledge by completing various professional certifications. Some certifications are professional differentiators for nursing professional development, while others are required by the respective state laws for practice licensure. Qualifications to take certifying examinations differs per examination.

After becoming a credentialed nurse practitioner, one can differentiate themselves among job applicants by completing a program that offers specialized training in substance abuse, opioid treatment and/or addictions, and by working in a psychiatric, mental health, or behavioral health care center. The specialized training programs in substance abuse, opioid treatment, and addictions are offered through nursing, medical, psychology, and social science departments at colleges and universities, and can be taken online. These types of specialized programs may be at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate level, and are open to other professionals working to provide care to patients and clients needing assistance.

Current examples in market

• Clarion University: Certificate in Opioid Treatment Specialist (online)
• Drexel University: Certificate in Substance Use Disorder Treatment (online)
• Purdue University: Certificate in Addictions (online)

Healthcare Innovation

As healthcare organizations face challenges to improve quality, access, and efficiencies, reduce harm, eliminate waste, and lower costs, innovation is becoming a necessity. A healthcare innovation program teaches change theory, leadership, entrepreneurship, application technology, and system design programs to create transformative solutions to current healthcare challenges.

Current examples in market

MS in Healthcare Innovation

• Arizona State University: Master of Healthcare Innovation (online)
• Ohio State University: Master of Healthcare Innovation (online)
• University of Pennsylvania: Master of Health Care Innovation (online)
• University of St. Thomas: MS in Health Care Innovation (hybrid)

Healthcare Innovation Courses

• Harvard University: Innovating in Health Care course (online)

Financial Technology (Fintech)

A fintech program seeks to fill an important gap that exists today between the supply of and demand for academic knowledge in the area of digital currency. Financial analyst jobs in fintech are in great demand as startups continue to grow. Additionally, as the regulatory burden in fintech grows, there will be a need for more compliance experts, compliance officers, and compliance analysts working in these financial companies.

Current examples in market

MS in Fintech

• University of Nicosia: Master’s in Blockchain and Digital Currency Technology (online)
• Brandeis University: MS in Digital Innovation for FinTech (online)

Concentration in Fintech

• New York University: MBA with specialization in FinTech (on-campus)
• University of California-Berkeley: Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research with concentration in FinTech (on-campus)
• Fordham University: MBA with secondary specialization in Blockchain (on-campus)
• Northeastern University: MS in Information Systems with concentration in Blockchain Technology (on-campus)

Graduate Certificate in Fintech

• Missouri University of Science & Technology: Financial Technology graduate certificate (online)
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Graduate certificate in Financial Technology (on-campus)

Human Computer Interaction (HCI)/User Experience (UX)

User experience has emerged as one of the fastest growing specializations in today’s business world. It’s about finding that balance between what people want to do and what they haven’t even imagine yet. Interdisciplinary by definition, human computer interaction impacts nearly every area of our lives. The program reflects a broad recognition in academia and industry of the need to train researchers to meet the challenges created by today’s breakneck pace of technological progress.

Current examples in market

BS in UX/HCI

• Carnegie Mellon University: BS in Human-Computer Interaction (on-campus)

MS in UX/HCI

• DePaul University: MS Human-Computer Interaction (hybrid)
• Iowa State University: MS Human-Computer Interaction (online)
• Rochester Institute of Technology: MS Human-Computer Interaction (online)
• Philadelphia University: MS User Experience and Interaction Design (on-campus)
• Carnegie Mellon University: Master of Human-Computer Interaction (on-campus)
• Northeastern University: MS in Experience Design (on-campus)

Concentration in UX

• Kent State University: MS in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (IAKM) with concentration in User Experience Design (online)
• Rutgers University: >Master of Business and Science with concentration in User Experience Design (on-campus; online FA19)
• Northeastern University: MS in Corporate and Organizational Communication with concentration in Usability/User Experience (online)

Graduate certificate

• Northeastern University: Graduate certificate in Experience Design (on-campus)
• Indiana University: Graduate certificate in Human-Computer Interaction (online)

Take a deeper dive

In the recorded webinar, Emerging fields of study: How to identify key target markets to grow and compete online, we further explore:

• how your institution can identify key markets
• recommended criteria for entry, risk factors, and key success indicators
• how Maryville University and Pearson partnered to successfully expand online offerings

Watch the webinar →

Research and analysis used to identify emerging fields of study

• Review of new NCES CIP codes
• Analysis of BLS Employment Projections to identify occupations slated to grow in the next 10 years
• Review of national and syndicated data sources, like Burning Glass and TalentNeuron
• Utilization of Google Trends to analyze the popularity of search queries in Google Search across various regions and languages over time
• Review of institutional websites to identify new and emerging programs

Here’s what we know

For years, organizations have established tuition reimbursement benefits to attract potential new hires, but generally put them on the shelf and forgot they existed. Traditionally these policies were designed to meet a $5,250 per person, per year allowable tax benefit deduction and covered only post-secondary education expenses.

The benefit was used to show stakeholders and industry competition that the company was a good corporate citizen, even using the benefit in campaigns to get onto “Top 100” lists, but the desire for actual employee utilization is very low and often deterred. Still, other organizations have turned their back on an education benefit all together, thinking investing anything in individuals that turn over at such a high rate is a waste if they never show up for a second shift.

Most companies who have adopted this approach have seen low benefit participation rates, and worse, fail to articulate the value of such benefit to senior leadership. With the right toolkit leveraging insightful questions, organizations can shift their thinking on education assistance as a powerful tool in attracting, developing, training and retaining employees.

Here’s what we found

Both scenarios above are missing several key components such as: strategy and unification of cross-business stakeholders to drive a meaningful discussion related to talent management; design thinking around educational programs and solutions that can impact job and career development; the right technology and support to capture data analytics related to performance and business impact of these benefits; and ultimately, widening the lens of who your workforce is.

We’ve met many companies who keep similar philosophies; not because they’re meaning to, but because they don’t understand the underlying strategy or cost to the organization. These lackluster views about talent development aren’t keeping up with the pace of change, in an economy where nontraditional competitors are now attracting your talent and, where employee resignation or quits have risen steadily by the millions since 2010 due to lack of development opportunities.

Total employee quits per year. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Here’s why we did it

Leveraging our collective years of experience in working with employers to design, develop, deliver and manage learning and education programs for companies, we partnered with Jaime Fall and UpSkill America as a way for us to share our insights broadly with the marketplace. UpSkill America, in partnership with the Walmart Foundation, has built a toolkit for organizations to use in designing sustainable upskilling strategies and solutions.

We encourage you to download the “Tuition Assistance Policy Discussion: Roadmap to a Skilled and Educated Workforce”.

This tool is the latest in a series released by UpSkill America in the past year to equip businesses with the tools to educate, train, and support frontline workers’ development to advance their careers. The work builds on UpSkill America’s 2017 UpSkilling Playbook for Employers.

To prepare for the future of work, we could do much worse than learning from Geoffrey Owens.

Remember Geoffrey Owens? He’s the former Cosby Show actor who was thrust into our timelines after a “look where he is now” image of him bagging groceries at Trader Joe’s went viral. The tabloids’ attempt was to shame, but the public saw his example as something to be praised, not ridiculed.

Here was a man who had spent his life teaching and acting and, like so many people, had picked up additional work to support his family. The tabloid backlash was immediate and justified. Vindication was swift and Owens handled the situation with grace. He summed up the incident well on Good Morning America, “I hope this helps us rethink what it means to work, the honour and dignity of work.”

His story is something to be celebrated, a role model to emulate, but it should also make us think about not just what it means to work, but how employers can better support and prepare people for a world of work that is changing and seems to require more than one career in a lifetime.

Successful workplaces will be places where the best people can thrive regardless of bias about gender, age or background.

This is something I think about in my job at Pearson — how to not just prepare for the future of work, but to also ensure that this future is one which benefits all people. We know that the world of work is undergoing seismic changes. Trends like automation, climate change and political changes will impact jobs and careers. The idea of a traditional career or “job for life” is changing.

We need to ensure that education and employment is fit for the needs of our changing world.

That was one reason why, in 2017, Pearson published The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030, in collaboration with Nesta and Oxford Martin. By combining a wider understanding of the trends that impact the future of work with expert human judgment and machine learning, a clearer understanding emerged of the skills more likely to be future-proof.

While the research pointed to a coming disruption in employment (one in five jobs will likely decline), that will be accompanied by increased demand for other jobs. Skills which will be important are qualities like the ability to teach other people, solve problems, read social situations, analyse systems and develop unusual or clever ideas about new topics.

Increasingly, as automation and artificial intelligence plays a greater role in our lives, what makes us human is what will make us employable. Employers must find ways to sustainably support and get the best out of those human qualities. Three ways they can do that are:

1. Support flexible pathways

Living in London, I am reliant on the web of the Underground. As I wrote in a recent report with Jobs for the Future, the changing world of work will look less like the linear highways of America, and more like the Tube. Pathways to employment may not follow traditional routes. It might look like the gig economy. There may be stops and starts. Whether it’s apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, flexible working, new models of work-place learning or credentialing, employers should embrace ways to make it easier for people to progress throughout their career, even if it’s not in a straight line.

2. Enable life-long learning

A changing world of work means that learning new skills will need to be a continual part of each employee’s lives (you can explore what skills you’ll need in 2030 to succeed in your current job here). Employers play an important role in supporting the acquiring of those skills. That might involve the apprenticeships and training offered by a group like Network Rail, the skills mentoring offered by LocalizED, or it could be the Best You EDU partnership that Pearson operates with Brinker International and its restaurants in the United States. At no cost, employees are able to earn different credentials, including their GED and Associate Degree.

3. Prioritise diversity as a core competency

Workplaces in the future must see the business case for equality and be able to attract and retain people from all backgrounds at all ages and stages of life. For the first time, five generations of workers are working at the same time. It is difficult to build a “Fourth Industrial Revolution-ready” workplace where these generations can succeed and do good. Diversity makes for better work and we’ve been exploring this critical topic with journalists, educators, scientists and students in Nevertheless. Successful workplaces will be places where the best people can thrive regardless of bias about gender, age or background.

This is just a start, but for the world of work to become a place that values humanity, we will need more than just policy or business actions, we will need better heroes. And we will need to be honest and transparent about the opportunities and challenges.

It might look like an actor trying to continue balancing a career, a scientist whose accomplishments were overlooked (now featured on this STEM Role Model poster) or a colleague who literally worked their way up from nothing to helping lead technology at a major company and mentor other women in STEM careers.

We need pioneers to show what it looks like to dream, to continue learning, take different pathways and stay resilient in the face of changing circumstances and this brave new world of work.

This guest post is republished from Virgin Unite’s 100% Human at Work Series.

Nevertheless is a a podcast celebrating the women transforming teaching and learning through technology. Supported by Pearson. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, TuneIn or RadioPublic.

The U.S. is experiencing historically low levels of unemployment. As a result, learning and development (L&D), talent management and human resource (HR) thought leaders are declaring that the war for talent is over. Talent has prevailed.

Even with historically low unemployment, consider this:

• There are an estimated 6.6 million jobs currently going unfilled in the U.S.
• There are over 70 million individuals in the U.S. with either some college education but no degree, or without a high school diploma
• These same individuals currently work in jobs with a high likelihood of being impacted by automation
• By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require some form of post-secondary education and training beyond high school

This doesn’t sound like either side won.

To prevent another declaration of war for talent, L&D must create a new compact for talent. We need to strike a grand bargain with our employees and offer them a new deal.

Ed Baldwin, an HR strategist, suggests doing away with the concept of “at-will” employment and striking a compact that is worthy of reciprocation for both employee and employer. Additionally, Evan Hackle, CEO of a leading training development company, believes that we must provide career planning for every employee and transparency to where they stand in the talent pipeline.

With all of this as a back drop, I would like to propose that there is a new compact to be had with talent, and as L&D leaders, it is within our grasp to strike this grand bargain. This new deal for talent requires L&D to deliver on three main points.

1. We will ensure you have the skills you need to succeed in your role.

Now, for many of us, this may feel like what we are already doing. We provide what we think is role-specific training or tools to our employees to help them be successful in their current job, but in many industries, like hospitality, retail or quick service restaurants, the lack of foundational skills, literacy, numeracy, and even fluency in English, is holding workers back from achieving their potential.

As a learning and talent leader, we often lament when our front line does not take the programs we push out. But what if the obstacle to taking these programs is a language barrier or not having the personal technology devices or Wi-Fi to assist them in consuming these courses? Research shows 30 percent of the workforce falls into this latter bucket.

Forward-thinking organizations like Brinker International have recognized this. In January of this year, the parent company for Chili’s and Maggiano’s launched an innovative, voluntary employee education benefit Best You EDU™ to all hourly and salaried team members that begins with foundational education all the way to college.

2. We will invest in the development of your skills to advance your career.

Imagine being told you had $3,000, $4,000, or $6,000 a year that you could spend on developing your skills and advancing to your next role. How would you spend it?

As I talk to learning and talent leaders across a wide spectrum of companies, and we talk about the cost of turnover especially in front line worker roles, replacement costs can equal $2,000-4,000 a year for roles making on average $10/hour.

What if we flipped the model and instead of accepting this as the “cost of doing business,” we focus it on developing the employee for their next role – inside or outside of the company. For each year you stay in your role and have satisfactory performance, we will invest the value of turnover that year into your personal development. Talk about worthy reciprocity.

The Amazon Career Choice program is an example of this type of approach. Amazon invests up to $3,000 per year, up to a total of $12,000, for warehouse workers to reskill to their next role – largely outside of Amazon – for jobs in high-growth areas such as health care, technology and the skilled trades.

Imagine a world in which companies with programs like Career Choice are connecting their talent ecosystem to companies that are looking for that particular skill set, seamlessly moving talent from one organization to the next.

3. We will provide you with the tools and resources to determine how to invest in your skills.

How do we trust individuals will make smart investments in their skills development? This new deal is about providing tools and resources to help them make those investments. In my view, this is about career advising, academic advising and success coaching.

It may seem foreign to think about these types of services or roles in the context of your traditional talent management team. But giving your employees the resources and tools to plan their career requires these types of roles. The traditional back-office educational assistance program is not providing this level of support or strategic alignment to your talent strategy.

This means moving away from the fallacy that our managers are effective at guiding career planning conversations. Sure, they can conduct performance reviews, but most managers have limited capacity, few tools at their discretion, and minimal training in guiding an effective career planning conversation.

Success coaching is important to front line workers who are returning to learning for the first time. Success coaching is there to monitor and support the employee through their learning experiences. This should be required of every educational provider the organization works with – or a service provided by a third party.

A great example of this is an insurance company located in the Midwest. As part of its talent management organization, they have individuals who help coach internal candidates through their talent management process – from understanding a job posting, to preparing a resume, to submitting the resume to the hiring manager, to prepping for the interview. Their commitment to helping their employees understand internal talent mobility is a defining part of what it means to be an employee for that company.

Many will say “This is not possible. This would be too expensive to fund. I could never get this approved.” Yes, this is a departure from the norm, but consider the following:

• Several studies by the Lumina Foundation have shown a return on investment (ROI) for up to 140 percent for organizations that strategically use their educational assistance programs. What learning programs do you currently offer that show that level of ROI to the organization? If you could demonstrate that level of ROI to your CEO and CFO, what would their reaction be?
• Turnover of employees is a major cost to organizations and a drain on an organization’s results and resources. What if you could reduce turnover by 20 percent in your organization? What is the value of that reduction, not only in turnover cost, but also in increased productivity, revenues and customer satisfaction?

A Starting Point

As learning and talent leaders, this new deal starts when we prioritize workforce development. It starts when we move programs, like tuition assistance, out of being a benefit and into being a strategic tool for investment. It starts when we begin to look at our educational assistance policies and begin to customize them to the workforce. It starts with equipping your employees to make good decisions about how they develop their skills and invest in their development. It starts with removing the roadblocks your employees have in order to utilize these programs.

According to Gallup’s 2017 State of the American Workplace Report, 33 percent of the workforce is actively engaged and fully productive. That means that 67 percent of our workforce is looking for a new deal – better opportunities for development, opportunities for advancement, opportunities to be the best version of themselves. Gallup estimates that for every $10,000 in salary, a disengaged employee cost the company $3,400 per year. As learning and talent leaders, the business case is ours to make. The impacts are ours to make. This grand bargain is within our reach.

It is time for L&D professionals to strike a new deal with talent – a deal that is good for organizations, employees, and for the communities in which the business operates. A deal that is truly worthy of reciprocity.

This article originally appeared in Training Industry Magazine.

Kate Edwards, SVP, Efficacy & Research at Pearson: “Why I chose to tell this story.”

At face value, what I’m sharing is a story about efficacy in medicine and what can be learned and applied in the field of education. It’s about the power of focusing on outcomes and what can be achieved by a diverse team applying evidence in the service of delivering those outcomes. It’s also a story that tells another tale. It’s the story of someone, me, who at the time felt they had personally and physically failed — and what they went on to do next.

With that in mind, it wasn’t an easy decision to share my story. I am not someone who lives a life of self-disclosure. In fact, however seamlessly presented this narrative appears, its sharing has been grounded in a lot of fear and self-doubt.

I was afraid. Afraid I’d jumble up events, misrepresent things or people, forget important medical things. I was afraid others would judge me, or the sharing of it, as inappropriate. Scared that it would be interpreted as giving advice when I don’t presume to have any to give. The story is my family’s experience of extreme premature birth. It is also a story that is not ‘over’ for us, we are still living with the effects of what happened.

Why did I choose to do this? Living through that experience, I learned that it’s the moments when you think everything is going wrong that a strange alchemy can take place. One that transforms the disaster into a renewed and purposeful journey. I chose to share this story not because of the experience of failure, but because of what I learned next, and what that’s helping me to go on and do.

The twists and turns that learning took me on, taught me that straight roads are conducive to a speedy arrival at your destination, but they don’t necessarily make skillful drivers.

Over the course of the 116 days we spent in hospital I learned things about myself, about others, about resilience in the face of adversity, and about what you are capable of doing in the service of the things you care most about.

After we left the hospital and returned home, a very wise man (Pearson’s CEO, John Fallon) who was reflecting on his own personal challenges said,“I’ve learnt that it is not what happens to you in life, ultimately, that matters, but what you do about it.” John’s words have stuck with me. Over time, and with the support of other colleagues at Pearson like Tim Bozik, Kate James and my team, the words gave me the courage to build on what I learned. I have come to understand what it means to show-up as myself, not just in private, but at work, and as a leader. Ultimately, to paraphrase researcher Brené Brown, I learned that the courage to be vulnerable can help you transform how you live, love, parent, and lead.

On the 16th of November, it will be two years since my daughter’s scheduled delivery date. November 17th is World Prematurity Day. To personally mark these poignant milestones I agreed to write about my experience. I wanted one or two of the parents of the 15 million babies born prematurely each year to know that they are not alone. I also want to remind you that we all have these stories that go into the making of who we are and how we show up. It’s by feeling the fear, choosing courage over comfort, daring to be brave, sharing and listening to stories of persistence, and using what we’ve learned to make a difference (however big or small) that change can come: in our personal relationships, our families, our workplaces, our communities.

Nevertheless is a a podcast celebrating the women transforming teaching and learning through technology. Supported by Pearson. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, TuneIn or RadioPublic.