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Delaney Adams

Professor Barnes

English 2

3 November 2019

Bridging the Skills Gap

The current unemployment rate in the United States is hovering around 3.7 percent,

and continues to rise every year. This percentage my not sound like much, but there are many

people searching desperately for a job. Employers often struggle hiring individuals due to their

inadequate set of skills. Essentially, this is the main concern when it comes to the skills gap.

Nikoletta Bika at Workable defines the skills gap as: “The skills gap is the difference between

skills that employers want or need, and skills their workforce offer.” (Bika) There

are many paths one can take to avoid being turned down in a future job interview, and that will

be further explained throughout this essay.

Having the proper set of skills, understanding new technology, and being prepared are

just three ways that one can better their chances of being hired. Despite what people say, the

skills gap in America is a real problem. The United States of America, as a nation, should be

intent on closing the skills gap. Without the skills gap, there would be a surplus of individuals
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with the right skills that cover the requirements of the roles employers are offering. With the

ever-widening skills gap and unemployment rate in America, employers consistently struggle to

find candidates who possess the skills required for the job. The nation can work towards closing

the skills gap by keeping up with intelligent technologies, understanding that skill does not

measure talent, and providing real-life working experience by means of a career technical school.

Ever since the Great Recession, that took place during the late 2000s and early 2010s,

people have often wondered if there any jobs left out there. There are always jobs available ,

especially now that the Great Recession is a moment of the past. The problem does not lie in

the inability to find a job, but individuals having inadequate skills needed for the position.

Technology is becoming more and more advanced, which have reshaped the demand and

requirements of skill. People are in need of new skill sets to fit in this high-tech world.

This can only be attained through consistent practice and experience. The article titled,

The Root of the Skills Gap, takes a look at how the skills gap has transformed within the past

years: “Historically, the skills gap has primarily been contained to the fields of information

technology, engineering and healthcare; but recently, it has spread to include those skilled trades

that fall under manufacturing and logistics, even finance and accounting” (Moss).

Being aware of the skills gap crisis and broadening the skill sets of individuals will begin to
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change the course we are headed in as a nation.

As previously mentioned, the main problem created by the skills gap, is the fact that

employers continue to struggle finding employees with the right set of skills needed for the job.

Liberals say that the skills gap does not exist, but the evidence says otherwise. Tatiana Bailey

from The Gazette explains that, “Jobs are at the center of economic development. When

meaningful job growth matches population growth, businesses get the talent they need and

are able to expand, individuals make a living, pay taxes, buy goods and services that promote

business growth, and don’t typically draw on governmental social assistance” (Bailey)

Jobs are valuable, and while they are considered the center of economic development, many

employers continue to struggle finding employees with the talent they need. Most of the time

employers are looking for soft-skills such as good communication skills and problem solving

abilities. These soft skills are often not taught through college, but through real-life experiences

instead.

The unemployment rate in America is high and continues to rise every year. There is no

doubt that the skills gap plays a part in this situation. According to a PDF article by Ryan Craig,

“At the start of 2019, 7 million U.S. jobs remained unfilled, and American employers

consistently cite trouble finding qualified workers” (Craig). This is a record

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number of unfilled jobs. These unfilled positions in America could easily be filled if we focused

more on closing the skills gap. The current education system in America does not equip

graduates with the correct skills needed for the workforce. Therefore, employers are not able to

fill these positions, which is increasing the unemployment rate. There are also unfilled positions

as baby boomers begin to retire. Without the correct experience, employers must allow time for

their new hire to be trained while on the job. With time and patience, the new employer would

be able to perform the same tasks as their predecessor. After taking a hard look at the facts, there

is no doubt that even skeptics of skills gap would change their mind.

Essentially, the main problem that defines the skills gap, is that most recent graduates do

not possess the correct skills needed for the job. Employers are looking for certain skills, and

employees don’t have them. These skills can be split into to parts: hard skills and soft skills.

Employers are putting both sets of skills into consideration when deciding whether the employee

is a good fit for the position. Hard skills and soft skills are two different things, but they are both

needed to become an efficient and desired employee. Tom Gerencer, career writer, defines each

skill, “Hard skills are teachable and measurable abilities, such as writing, reading, math or ability

to use computer programs. By contrast, soft skills are the traits that make you a good employee,

such as etiquette, communication and listening, getting along with other people” (Gerencer).
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Anyone is able to learn a hard skill, but soft skills can only be attained though practice and

real-life experience. In school you develop hard skills, but soft skills are not easy to teach.

Soft skills are hard for employers to measure, as they assess ones emotional intelligence.

A resume would prove that the individual has the hard skills needed for the job, but the employer

would only be able to judge his/her soft skills in the job interview. There is often lots of human

interaction and communication in the workplace, and this is where soft skills is needed. Retail

and customer service jobs are great experience for developing soft skills. Both sets of skills

are essential to success in the workforce and can reveal a lot about a person.

When it comes to developing hard skills, education and a college degree is essential.

However, when it comes to developing soft skills, real-life experience and previous employment

is fundamental. This is where the argument of whether a four-year degree or job experience is

more important. Employers want to see both on a resume, but some people would rather enter the

workforce with only a high school diploma. In some cases, real-life experience can become an

equivalent to a college degree over time. College is an expensive decision that some families

cannot afford. In a PDF article focusing on America’s skills gap crisis, Craig states, “Total

student loan debt is now over $1.5 trillion, and average student loan debt per household has

grown almost 1,000 percent in the past 20 years” (Craig). Students often go into
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debt taking out loans to pay for their college education and they graduate with a degree that does

not promise them a job in the future. Starting off at a career technical school or community

college is a great and affordable way to decide whether your degree is worth pursuing.

As time goes on, technology continues to evolve and become smarter. The advanced

skills needed to operate this new technology is not being taught in school and that is a big

problem. The current education system in America does not give graduates the skills needed as

they enter into the workforce. With the skills gap growing each passing month, the American

education system will have to change its ways in order to keep up with ever-changing, advanced

technology. If there is no change soon, the skills gap and unemployment rate will continue to

rise.

While going to school is important when it comes to developing hard skills, the American

education system is often overeducating graduates as they enter the workforce. The skills gap is

not only caused by a shortage of people skilled in STEM programs, but there is also a gap in

their soft skills, such as communication and advanced leadership skills. Education does not

provide talent, but skills do. The education system should focus more on nourishing ones skill set

instead of teaching useless information that will not be of any benefit in their future career.
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The American education system does not focus on the passions of each student

individually and how they will perform in society after graduation. Making the choice to attend a

career technical school as a high school student provides the opportunity of nurturing skill early

on. Stuart Udell, CEO of K12 Inc, states “As educators, business leaders and community

partners, it is critical we support students in completing high school by identifying engaging and

relevant learning opportunities that provide a real-world, career-oriented curriculum on a flexible

schedule. High-quality, comprehensive CTE programs provide such opportunities and answer

the call from employers across the nation to better prepare students to work successfully in a

complex global marketplace” (Udell). Career technical schools inform their students that

one does not need a college degree to survive in this world, and that is something that is

unheard of nowadays. New employees must have their talents nourished and possess soft

skills to truly thrive in the workplace. The skills shortfall is huge, but advanced vocational

training across the nation are focusing of getting students prepared for the world of work after

graduation. These types of schools excel at encouraging skill and training their current students

for the future ahead.

Career technical schools are located all across the nation and are available to any
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student that is passionate about learning a skill early on. There are many pathways to success,

and vocational schools teach this idea to high school students before graduation. This way they

will know for sure whether or not they want to attend a four-year university after school, or head

straight into the workforce with the skills they already have. Some vocational schools even

provide students with internship positions while still being in high school. This is another great

way to earn real-world experience and develop the soft skills that employers will look for in

the future.

Most programs offered to students through career tech schools allow them to graduate

with a certificate proving that they have mastered that skill. If one was planning to enter the

workforce as a precision machinist, the certificate earned through their career tech center would

qualify them for the job. However, if one was planning on becoming a doctor, they would have

to attend college after graduating high school. The certification earned through a career tech

school works for students who are interested in trade jobs, but it would not qualify for most

white-collar jobs. However, students who must continue their education through college did not

waste their time attending a career technical school. These schools also allow students to decide

whether or not they are passionate about the degree they wish to earn in college. This saves the

student money in the long run, instead of paying for classes in college and then deciding that
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they would like to change majors.

Career tech schools are providing students with soft skills and focusing more on

nurturing their talents. They provide CTSOs and student led organizations that aid in developing

soft skills. Some of the most well known organizations that are offered to students through career

tech schools are HOSA, FCCLA, SkillsUSA, Business Professionals of America (BPA), and

FFA. These groups organize and sponsor events and contests related to the student's career

choice. Students who perform high in their skill sets are recognized at national levels in various

competitions specific to industry. In an article focusing on the benefit of CTE and CTSOs, it

states that “When considering what field to pursue a career, 43% of all CTE students

indicated they plan to purse a career in their CTE field of study. However, for students that

participate in CTSOs, 55% plan to pursue a career in their field of study. And this rises to 63%

for participation in SkillsUSA. In comparison, only 37% of CTE students not participating in

CTSO activities will pursue a career in their field of study” (“Attracting the Next Generation

Workforce”). The survey conducted in the article proves that career technical education and

CTSOs play a major role in deciding whether the student will pursue their passion throughout

college. When a student joins one of these CTSOs in high school, not only are they developing
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soft skills, but they are nurturing talent and learning more about the world of work.

Even with all of the facts mentioned above, there are people who do not believe that the

skills gap is real. The idea of skills gap is often criticized and considered to be nothing more than

corporate fiction. They believe that the skills gap was a lie and nothing more than a consequence

of high unemployment. Employers know that these theories are false, and that the skills gap is

undeniably a problem throughout the United States. Otherwise, they would not struggle to find

individuals to fill their vacant positions.

In conclusion, the United States can begin to work towards closing the skills gap by

keeping up with intelligent technologies, understanding that skill does not measure talent, and

providing real-life working experience by means of a career technical school. The unemployment

rate in America continues to rise and employers often find themselves struggling to hire

candidates with the skills needed for the job. There is no doubt that the skills gap crisis is a real

problem that needs to be addressed. People will have a better chance of being hired by

possessing a proper set of skills, understanding new technology, and being prepared for the world

of work. With patience and experience, the skills gap in America will begin to close.
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Work Cited

Attracting the Next Generation Workforce. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.

id/39625809/ns/world_news-americas/. PDF file.

Bailey, Tatiana. “'Skills Gap' Thwarting Efforts of Employers, Job Seekers.” The Gazette

(Colorado Springs), 4 Oct. 2019, gazette.com/business/skills-gap-thwarting-efforts-

ofemployers-job-seekers-column/article_85195f50-e568-11e9-96fa-03319ec415c9.html.

Bika, Nikoletta. How to Conduct a Skills Gap Analysis: Workable. 19 Sept. 2017, https://

resources.workable.com/tutorial/skills-gap-analysis.

Craig, Ryan. “America’s Skills Gap: Why It’s Real, And Why It Matters.” March 2019. PDF file.

Gerencer, Tom. “Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: List of Best Examples for the Workplace.” Zety, 19

Aug. 2019, https://zety.com/blog/hard-skills-soft-skills.

Moss, Skyler. “Infographic: the Root of the Skills Gap.” RLC, https://rlc.randstadusa.com/for-

business/learning-center/talent-acquisition/infographic-the-root-of-the-skills-gap-1.

Udell, Stewart. “The Role of Career Technical Education in Bridging the Skills Gap.”

CIOReview, https://education.cioreview.com/cxoinsight/the-role-of-career-technical-

education-in-bridging-the-skills-gap-nid-23570-cid-27.html.