From CNN Money
By Claire Zillman, reporter October 16, 2013
Speaking at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Shriti Vadera, who was an economic adviser to former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, hit on the issue of the skills gap -- the mismatch between what background and expertise employers need from employees and the skills that job candidates possess.
She delivered some somber news:
The United States is one of two or three countries where older people have higher level skills than younger people. We might be the only generation to not bequeath a better life to the next one.
Vadera shared the stage at the summit with Joyce Russell, president of Adecco Staffing U.S., who advocated for companies' use of flexible workers, the kind who are employed by staffing firms like Adecco, which loans workers to its client companies. Russell argued that such arrangements allow companies and workers to try each other on for size and often lead to full-time employment.
Vadera argued that the use of such flexible workers contributes to the growing skills gap. If a company employs temporary workers, it's not going to put resources towards advancing their skills. "Why would you invest in [employees'] skills if they're just going to leave?" she asked.
Corporations' investment in worker skills is crucial, Vadera said, since "you can't expect the public sector" to address workforce training needs on its own.
By Claire Zillman, reporter October 16, 2013
Speaking at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Shriti Vadera, who was an economic adviser to former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, hit on the issue of the skills gap -- the mismatch between what background and expertise employers need from employees and the skills that job candidates possess.
She delivered some somber news:
The United States is one of two or three countries where older people have higher level skills than younger people. We might be the only generation to not bequeath a better life to the next one.
Vadera shared the stage at the summit with Joyce Russell, president of Adecco Staffing U.S., who advocated for companies' use of flexible workers, the kind who are employed by staffing firms like Adecco, which loans workers to its client companies. Russell argued that such arrangements allow companies and workers to try each other on for size and often lead to full-time employment.
Vadera argued that the use of such flexible workers contributes to the growing skills gap. If a company employs temporary workers, it's not going to put resources towards advancing their skills. "Why would you invest in [employees'] skills if they're just going to leave?" she asked.
Corporations' investment in worker skills is crucial, Vadera said, since "you can't expect the public sector" to address workforce training needs on its own.
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