Let’s all work together to build a better workforce in Kern County

By Cheryl Scott

Feb 13, 2017 

In Kern County and across the country, businesses are battling to attract the best and the brightest talent available. In fact, according to a 2016 survey by Area Development, the availability of a skilled workforce is the No. 1 site-selection factor when executives consider where to relocate or expand their business.

Many of us put regular effort into improving our own skills, but do you ever think about how you can help someone else be successful in their career endeavors? If we all try to help others, especially young people, we can make a meaningful difference in the quality of Kern County’s workforce.

Why Should You Help?

Every business owner and HR professional knows that a company is only as good as the people that fill its jobs. Thriving businesses don’t just create jobs. The taxes they pay support emergency services, parks, streets and roads, and other projects that impact our quality of life every day.

How Can You Help?

In Your Own Home — If you’re a parent, you are in a unique position to shape a young person into a great employee, entrepreneur or business owner, especially when it comes to helping develop “soft skills” (communication, self-control, problem-solving, teamwork/collaboration, work ethic, etc.). These skills will help them succeed in school, work and, of course, life in general.

A survey by CareerBuilder revealed that 77 percent of employers surveyed said soft skills are just as important as employees’ hard skills. One way to encourage soft-skill development is to model those skills yourself — and to expect children to do the same — at home. For example, evening conversations about events from the day are a great time to practice good listening skills and to discuss difficult situations that arise during the day. Don’t shy away from discussing your own workday challenges. Children will get a peek into your world and you just might learn from your older children’s perspectives, too!

Community Volunteer — Share your expertise by volunteering at some of the many local events that help students learn outside the classroom. Watch for opportunities to help with Virtual Business Enterprise, Rotary’s Business Leadership and Ethics Conference, the Kern County STEMposium or one of the area’s many robotics competitions.

Mentor a High School or College Student — Becoming a mentor is a great way to help students while you breathe some new enthusiasm into your own career, too. Students’ excitement about having their entire career ahead of them is pretty contagious!

A caring mentor expands a student’s circle of supporters, which is especially important for students whose parents aren’t equipped to help with college or career advice. In fact, mentored students are 55 percent more likely to enroll in college than those who do not have a mentor.

If you’re looking for a shorter-term commitment, try a career-advising session with local college students. CSUB’s School of Business and Public Administration is just one program that pairs professionals with students for occasional one-on-one meetings and mock-interviews.

Bring Interns into the Workplace — Establishing an internship program is one of the best ways to train tomorrow’s workforce. Internships offer invaluable experience for students, plus you’ll benefit from their work and the energy they bring to the workplace. Plus, you might just find your next new hire!

The next time you find yourself wishing you had more qualified applicants at your door, think about what you can do to create change. Better yet, don’t wait. Start now.

— Cheryl Scott is executive director of the Kern Economic Development Foundation, which works to bridge the business and education communities in order to strengthen the talent pool of local professionals, especially in STEM-related industries.

http://www.bakersfield.com/kern-business-journal/let-s-all-work-together-to-build-a-better-workforce/article_e458a507-bd27-506b-a3a8-b85ec2974ef1.html