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The jobs of today are being disrupted now more than ever. Technology changes are requiring different skill sets needed for these jobs at a faster pace than we can keep up with when it comes to training and development. One recent study reported that 37% of the top 20 skills requested for the average job in the U.S. have changed since 2016 (Boston Consulting Group, 2022). Four of the major changes shared are the need for digital skills in non-digital jobs (such as technical fluency, data analysis, and networking), soft skills in digital jobs (such as those who can balance programming and relationship development), data visualization skills, and social media skills. All that being said, we’re seeing the need for workers with a broader set of skills, who are technologically savvy, in addition to the tactical skills they learn in school or on the job. This wasn’t the case five or more years ago – the emphasis was on blending tactical skills and employability skills.
When the average worker has to learn new skills to keep with the job they have, beyond the ones who are trying get ahead in their careers, we have an exacerbated skills gap problem. We have seen a shift in industry and educators working closer together to have deeper skills-based conversations that result in strategies to help keep pace or get ahead of these changes. This will be critically important as we see a growing mismatch in the supply and demand of talent for our region. In Pinellas County alone, it is projected that 47,000 net new jobs are going to need workers by 2030 (Florida Scorecard, Florida Chamber Foundation). We not only have to meet the changes in skills of the existing workforce but develop the skills of even more people to meet the demand of the new jobs being created. Institutions like SPC are doing this by expanding non-degree programs. This is being accomplished by expanding corporate professional development where we’re providing training to upskill companies’ current workforce. We are also accomplishing this by accelerating access to training and jobs. We are expanding short-term and industry certification training where skills can be learned quickly, and individuals can move to a better job and gain economic mobility faster. At the same time, we’re doing the work to articulate these credentials to qualify for college credit, so once they’re ready to pursue a degree, they’re already steps ahead and can complete faster.
We are fortunate in the Tampa Bay region to have several partners working together to align efforts and resources to accelerate outcomes for equitable student access, completion, and high wage job attainment. For example, SPC is part of LEAP Tampa Bay, one of the State of Florida’s local college access networks that brings together the region’s school districts, colleges, businesses, and non-profits with the primary goal of increasing the number of working age adults with a post-secondary degree or high-quality certificate. Much of our work focuses on breaking down barriers for getting into and completing a credential, including providing access to grants, scholarships and tuition reimbursement, as well as creating and communicating clear educational and career pathway options. Another example is St. Pete Works, funded by the City of St. Petersburg. It is another cross-sector collaboration of organizations working together to increase employment opportunities for youth and adults living in the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) of South St. Petersburg, one of the region’s most disadvantaged areas. As a result of the partnership, residents have gained access to tactical, technical and soft skills training that have resulted in over 100 job placements in less than one year.
There are many ways local companies and organizations can get engaged and drive the talent pipeline. Whether it is talking to a class about their company and industry to create exposure to both and the types of jobs available, serving as a mentor, participating in a job fair, hiring students as interns, apprentices or even just for employment, to serving on an advisory board to keep curriculum relevant, or offering equipment, supplies, or even funding for scholarships and program development or operations; these are all action steps that help set up students for fruitful careers. Their role is critical to connect with students as a great way to access that supply for their employees. It’s not always about providing money, but providing the time, and helping students seeing themselves in the jobs they are hiring for is essential.
Communication from business and industry is key. If the college can be in the room at the time they are creating new jobs or redesigning current jobs, we will be able to collectively construct the curriculum to meet the new workforce needs. To enhance our awareness and preparedness for workforce needs, SPC has reformed the way we connect with our industry partners. We have established a team dedicated to providing end-to-end service to businesses and mapping that experience to a student’s academic path. Doing so helps to align a student’s learning experience with the workforce along the way. We believe this will make a significant difference—to address the gaps we experience when it comes time for students to get a job and make sure they truly understand the job descriptions when they see them. We are working on breaking down those communication barriers between industry, education, and students themselves.
The value of having quality higher education institutions located in the Downtown is creating an educational/workforce ecosystem that enhances communication, innovation, collective impact in program design, course development, and access to training. This is especially true when the training programs, courses, and degrees are pertinent to the jobs located in Downtown St. Petersburg – such as hospitality, fintech, cyber security, banking, real-estate, healthcare, and the list goes on and on. Being in Downtown, higher education institutions and businesses can share space and build opportunities to create the perfect learning and working environment not only for our Downtown businesses and residents, but for all of St. Petersburg to access. As more people move to Downtown St. Petersburg, there is a greater need for access to training that will help them upskill and gain economic mobility.
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