Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom My Takeaways from the ATD Tech Skills Gap Panel

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom My Takeaways from the ATD Tech Skills Gap Panel The technology skills gap is a well-known issue in American employment circles. Yet, research tends to focus on only one aspect of the problem â€" the shortage of hard tech skills like programming and information security management. But there is another, perhaps even more critical dimension to thetechnology skills gap1: the lack of applied tech skills in the workplace. As we’ve talked about previously, when an individual hasapplied tech skills,2they can integrate people, processes, data, and devices to effectively inform business strategy and plan for and react to unanticipated shifts in direction. At the annualAssociation for Training and Development (ATD) conference3in San Diego, I moderated an applied technology skills gap panel with John Aquilino, Manager, Skills Gap Training and Services, DeVryWORKS; Jessica DiCicco, VP, Learning Development, Randstad; Jackie Linton, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, City of Philadelphia; Kristen Switzer, Sr. People Development Manager, Taylor Morrison; and Andre Walker, VP of Training Development, Securitas Security Services. Applied Technology Skills: Why Now? I began by asking the panel why applied technology skills have become so critical in business. “Everyone in our company, whether they are in construction, purchasing, accounting, or customer service, touches a technology system. They need to understand these systems to do their jobs well,” said Switzer. “We are also offering training on a variety of technology platforms that require employees to come up to speed.” Next, I asked John to comment on how his cross-industry employer partners are equipping their workforces with applied technology skills. “Access to training and development is not the issue,” he responded. “It’s much more about how those skills are curated and aligned to arrive at actionable outcomes.” Panelists shared that their organizations are searching for and using solutions that help their employees develop “soft skills” related to technology adoption such as critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. “Applying knowledge of Big Data, digital infrastructure, and integrated processes is essential to effective decision-making,” said Aquilino. “Companies are infusing learning experiences with technology, so employees can leverage the familiarity of working with machines in their daily roles.” For more panel insights, head over to the full piece at the DeVryWORKS website.