Author: Kerrie Rushton

Major employers — including the state governments of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Utah — have done away with bachelor’s degree requirements for many jobs, opening up opportunities for millions of Americans. Yet, research shows most hiring managers still prioritize a bachelor’s degree in their hiring decisions even though millions of U.S. jobs go unfilled month after month. To find workers for these open positions, … Continued

The U.S. labor force participation rate has plummeted over the last generation. Why are millions of potential workers dropping out of the workforce? Because when it comes to getting a job, skills matter — but when it comes to staying in a job, purpose matters. Americans want their work to connect to what gives them meaning. As … Continued

Almost every industry is having trouble filling job openings. To fill more positions while finding the right person for the job, employers can turn to skills-based hiring. Helping employers understand skills-based hiring According to SHRM, 72 percent of U.S. workers believe skilled credentials are an affordable way to gain the skills or experience necessary to find … Continued

The Navajo Nation is one of the largest Native American tribes in North America, but tribal members are moving away from the community’s land at an astonishing rate. More than one-third of members no longer live within the Navajo Nation’s borders and, each year, about 3,500 high school graduates relocate. Structural barriers to economic opportunity … Continued

Skills for America’s Future and the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation has launched “Connect to Work AZ,” a program that will address underemployment and unemployment by focusing on communities of color and communities that traditionally have suffered from lack of investment. The program will complement existing Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation efforts to help local employers fill … Continued

Research indicates workers want jobs that give them meaning — that align with who they are as a person and what they want to contribute to the world.  Still, many employers are slow to respond to this signal, or don’t know how. In a RealClearMarkets op-ed, Clayton Christensen Institute Co-Founder Michael Horn and Charles Koch Foundation Executive … Continued