For the Metro Atlanta Chamber, growing, recruiting and promoting talent for the jobs of the future is its number one priority. Toward that end, MAC partnered with Accenture to update the Your Talent Your Future report, first published in ...
For the Metro Atlanta Chamber, growing, recruiting and promoting talent for the jobs of the future is its number one priority. Toward that end, MAC partnered with Accenture to update the Your Talent Your Future report, first published in 2016. Last week saw the release of Your Talent Your Future 2.0, highlighting the need for the right supply of qualified candidates for available positions.
Without a balanced supply of quality talent and demand for positions, the metro region will experience lost prosperity. This year’s report showed some progress – large gaps remain between demand and supply in healthcare and computer and information sciences jobs. However, the metro region has gained with 39 and 81 percent increases in confirmed degrees in the two areas since 2011, respectively.
“Last year’s release began an even greater analysis. At the time, it was one of the first national examinations,” said Troutman Sanders Managing Partner and MAC Educated Workforce Council Chair Steve Lewis. “We are extremely pleased with Accenture’s continued support in this research.”
Addressing many of the issues presented in the report prompted an examination of policy proposals to counteract these trends. MAC has developed the following policy recommendations:
Increase access to in-demand post-secondary education with flexible funding options for students.
Accelerate training and education by reducing the need to duplicate or repeat training that has already been successfully completed.
Increase exposure and awareness of in-demand occupations.
Incentivize workforce and employability outcomes.
Enhance education and workforce data capabilities to better measure return on education and workforce investments.
Prioritize career counseling.
Increase industry-relevant training into all levels of education.
“This is a multi-year journey that we need to commit to if we want to close the skills gap. We have to dig into the data. We don’t want to just give people jobs, we need quality, sustainable careers,” said Accenture Senior Managing Director of HR Talent Strategy Nate Boaz.
Education and workforce sectors made progress through the last year with the launch of the Governor’s High Demand Career Initiative Sector Partnership Grants, the release of the Georgia Higher Learning and Earnings Dashboard, and Georgia Department of Education and Technical College System of Georgia’s partnering for YouScience.
Job growth alone is not the defining factor for a well-performing region if skill and supply gaps remain.
“We had significant job growth over the last few years with the largest gains in job postings for Registered Nurses and Truck Drivers. Communication skills and writing are the most in-demand baseline skills,” said MAC Director of Workforce Development Amy Lancaster. “At the bachelor’s degree level, business/management/marketing still tops the list in terms of demand. Health professions jumped to #2, pushing Computer and Information Systems to #3.”
Many of these issues for the region cannot be solved overnight. However, with the information compiled in Your Talent Your Future 2.0, there is a clear path forward. Thanks to the work of both the public and private sectors, progress is being made.
For more information and the full report, visit Your Talent Your Future.
