Workforce Readiness

Workforce readiness can be defined as having new workplace entrants prepared to enter the workforce with the requisite knowledge, skills, abilities and attributes in order to engage in endeavors that will be required in their respective occupations. Partnerships and alliances between educational institutions, governmental entities and employers can assist in ensuring that these new workforce entrants are sufficiently prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities they will face in the workplace.

HR professionals are uniquely suited to address many of the challenges raised by workforce readiness issues. HR professionals can play a strategic role in helping employers formulate exacting standards for workforce skills, capabilities and attributes that the employer community needs. Additionally, the HR community can take the lead in coalition building to articulate the need for developing rigorous standards, which can be shared throughout the business community and serve as a basis for advocacy of workforce readiness efforts. HR professionals can bring their quantitative skills to help develop programs to improve workforce readiness and to evaluate models and pilot programs to ensure their effectiveness and adaptability in meeting current needs and their ability to anticipate future needs.

SHRM's 2009 Workforce Readiness Goals

• Partner with the State Council WR Director to develop and implement goals for your chapter.
• Actively participate in at least 2 interactive state level WR sessions.
• Serve as the key contact for all WR activities for the chapter; lead/implement one WR initiative/event at the local level. Track this initiative from the beginning and report progress to state director during the year
• Participate in at least one webcast and two SHRM conference calls

Please click here to visit SHRM's Workforce Readiness Toolkit