Earlier this year, Talent 2025 deployed a survey to our member employers to learn more about the particular facets of their talent challenges. Covering internships, training partners, and the future of Talent 2025, the survey is a tool we use to see how the employer community reacts to the ever-changing talent system. Below, we’ve summarized three major findings from the survey results:
The right people are hard to find
About 30-35% of employers say they “almost never” or “often do not” fill jobs in a timely manner with regards to semi-skilled labor and skilled labor/professional/management. This sentiment aligns with several current labor market indicators: a low labor force participation rate, paired with the lowest regional unemployment rate in years.
Child care and transportation are major barriers
These, and a lack of the right education and skills, were cited as the top barriers employers cited to successfully attract and retain talent. We’ve confirmed this several times now, particularly in our recent Workforce Development Report, further solidifying this as a direction for Talent 2025 to help fix. These are barriers we are working to find solutions for in our Workforce Development Working Group.
Would you like hard or soft skills with that?
About 80 percent of respondents cite hard/technical skills as a gap. This doesn’t sync with the adage we often hear, “If we find someone with the soft skills, we can train them on the rest”. Getting at this disconnect requires more research in our various working groups.
Tapping a new source of talent
More than half of respondents said that they currently hire ex-offenders for some or all occupations. However, the nearly two-dozen clarifying comments indicates this is an emerging practice.
If you are a Talent 2025 member company and would like the full results of the CEO Census, please contact us here.
