4 Collaboration Gaps that are More Important than the Skills Gap

For years, discussions of a "skills gap" have been used to point out problems with higher education and workforce development that create hiring difficulties for employers.

For the skills gap argument to be helpful, more work is needed to define the gap more precisely than it has been. Understanding and addressing the skills gap are important to addressing workforce and talent development needs.

But more importantly, regional partners working on building talent pipelines should consider collaboration gaps. Working toward closing collaboration gaps will better position all players to focus on and address gaps in skills, talent, and good jobs:

Collaboration Across Higher Education Sectors

Community colleges, regional comprehensive universities, research universities, and other institutions of higher education need to work better together to ensure that all of their varied missions and assets are brought to bear on addressing talent needs for stakeholders.

Collaboration Between Higher Education and Workforce/Talent Development

Professionals in workforce and talent development need to reach out more to partners in higher education institutions, and vice versa, so that we can do a better job of blending the worlds of education, training, work, and professional/occupational growth.

Collaboration with Employers

Employers need to be part of these collaborations, and must come to the conversations with more than their demands for closing the skills gap. They must also be willing partners in addressing the needs of communities and families, and in helping to shape the future of work.

Collaboration from Policy Makers

Legislatures and government organizations can help close collaboration gaps both by engaging other partners more deeply in shaping policy and programs, and also by encouraging collaboration as part of public policy and funding opportunities.

The skills gap is real, if ill-defined. But collaboration gaps must be closed if we are to effectively address talent and workforce development needs.