There are so many good entry-level jobs available, but companies say they’re having a hard time filling them. The reason? According to an article in Business Insider, which uses data from surveys conducted by Gallup, Adobe, and others, it’s that too few applicants have the skills they need … and companies are having a hard time training them.
Some of the problem is related to pandemic-driven upheaval, which led to a lot of “job hopping” and a loss of institutional knowledge. But whatever the reason, the situation can be dire. As the article notes:
- 83% of Gen Z respondents said having a mentor at work was crucial to their career, but only half said they had one.
- Less than half of U.S. employees said they knew what’s expected of them at work.
Clearly there’s a problem that needs to be solved: there are hundreds of thousands, even millions, of smart, capable, hard working people in California alone who are looking for better jobs, and there are great jobs available – but potential workers need training, mentoring, and support in order to fill them.
That’s where Calbright comes in.
Calbright is a new kind of college that has a new approach. We offer skills-based certificates, that can be earned quickly, that prepare students to hit the ground running on day one of a job. Rather, we work with industries that are hiring for these good entry-level jobs, in areas like:
- Project Management
- IT Support
- Data Analysis
- Cybersecurity
- CRM Platform Administration
- Network Technology
And once we have established that companies are actively looking to hire in these fields, and will be for some time, we develop certificate programs that specifically teach the skills that new employees will need, both to get the job and to succeed in it.
At the same time, we offer career advice, teach the “durable skills” that surveys say help new hires thrive, and provide both academic and career mentoring so that students like Jimmy and Binh have someone to turn to when they have questions or need advice.
Getting Paid To Get Trained
Now Calbright has a new way to support students; we have been approved by the State of California as a provider of pre-apprenticeship training, which means that our students in several programs will be eligible for paid apprenticeships in their fields after they graduate. They will have the opportunity to receive paid, hands-on experience in the industries they want to work in.
With this new approval, we’re hitting the ground running, partnering with organizations like TechSF, a nationally recognized and registered apprenticeship program in the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD). TechSF integrates registered pre-apprenticeship to apprenticeship pathways with tech employers, reducing skills gaps and recruitment for companies, while helping job seekers gain valuable experience and industry-recognized certifications.
Calbright’s mission always remains the same; to help train and connect people looking for new careers with the industries that have those opportunities. We keep adding new ways to do it. That’s innovation – and amidst an ever-evolving workforce it’s needed.
