It’s Time To Rethink Tech Workforce Development

While Silicon Valley is still considered to be America’s tech capital, the truth is, every industry is in need of skilled tech professionals to help them design networks, build software, keep systems secure, and innovate new applications.  In fact, 91% of tech jobs today are located outside of Silicon Valley and 60% are in non-tech niches like banking, retail and manufacturing. However, employers across the country struggle to find the right candidates to fill their open positions. If businesses hope to connect with talented candidates, they have to understand what’s happening in tech education and they must take a proactive approach to prepare the workforce for the jobs of the future.

The Future of The Widening Tech Skill Gap

Anyone who hires for IT and technical positions knows that there is a major skill gap in the industry today. High schools, tech schools and colleges are not churning out enough graduates with the skills needed to enter this booming field. Furthermore, students in rural areas are far less likely to be offered computer courses in public school than their urban and suburban counterparts. Students who aren’t exposed to tech in grades k-12 aren’t likely to pursue further education in technology, due to their lack of exposure.

This means that not only do those students find themselves lacking access to career opportunities that could provide serious upward mobility in their adult lives, it also means that employers across the country will continue to struggle with a serious skill gap.

Leveling The Playing Field and Building the Workforce With Boot Camps

Enter the tech boot camps and intensive training programs popping up across the United States. These programs immerse adults in a skill like coding, web design, app development, or UX anywhere from 10 to 33 weeks. The programs prepare students for entry-level jobs in the tech industry upon graduation.

Boot camps are ideal for adults who lack a college education or who have a degree but want to break into the tech field. Tuition is around $10,000; far less than a four-year degree, and students focus solely on a single skill set for the duration of the course. They also have the opportunity to build a small portfolio to help them gain traction in the job market once they graduate.

Employers who are struggling to find strong tech candidates should embrace the nontraditional boot camp training model when seeking new employees. Many employers partner with camps and recruit directly out of graduating classes.  Working closely with course leaders also helps those leaders design programs that teach the precise skills employers are looking for, strengthening future graduating classes to meet the demands of modern employers.

Are You Building A Pipeline For The Future?

As the years pass, businesses will only grow more reliant on technology and it will be critical for leaders to get involved in pre-employment training to ensure that there are enough people entering the job market to fill openings and help close the skill gap.  Whether it’s sponsoring a boot camp, recruiting out of boot camps or developing comprehensive in-house training, it’s time for employers to get proactive. Talented people won’t fall into your lap, you’ve got to be proactive and creative so you have access to the skills you need to remain competitive in the market.

Building the workforce of tomorrow won’t happen overnight. If you need to access great tech talent today, partner with the IT talent acquisition experts at Talon.  Contact us today to learn more about our track record of helping businesses achieve their hiring and retention goals.