How Companies Can Grow the Next Generation of Workers

Companies have struggled for years to find workers with the right skills. Now thanks to post-pandemic disruptions, many industries—especially healthcare, food services, business services and the trades—are facing shortages of workers, with or without skills.

A company is free to pursue a ‘go-it-alone’ talent development strategy. But for a sector-wide challenge, that may prove ineffective.

“Workforce development is a team sport,” says Van Ton-Quinlivan, nationally known thinker (and do-er) about workforce development. Done right, it requires educational institutions, government agencies, and employers to collaborate and work together, to upskill workers and build capacity across a sector. It’s an approach she’s seen work well in the energy sector, and the strategy she’s now applying to health services.

In Part One of our latest Bold Leaders in Learning conversation, Van talks to Kaplan’s Brandon Busteed, chief partnership officer, and Rachael Bourque, vp of corporate learning solutions, about how to scale up workforce solutions that don’t just upskill a few, or even a few dozen, new employee candidates but that can “grow next generation of workers.” The three also talk about best practices for removing barriers to access, to increase diversity in hiring pools.

Van is the CEO of Futuro Health, a California-based nonprofit working to improve the health and wealth of communities by growing the largest network of allied healthcare workers in the nation. She’s also the author of a best-seller book, WorkforceRx: Inclusive and Agile Strategies for Employers, Educators and Workers during unsettled Times.

Like this video? Watch more Bold Leaders in Learning, Kaplan’s podcast series exploring new, innovative ideas in the areas of education, careers and the workforce, and leadership.

Want to learn more about Kaplan’s learn-work solutions? Talk to Brandon Busteed or Rachael Bourque or our corporate solutions team.