It’s widely recognized and reported that there is a growing skills gap in the American workplace. The skills gap is the idea that even though there may be employees available to fill open positions, they often lack the required skills and experience to do those jobs effectively.
Technological skills are often cited as particularly lacking. This gap is particularly present in areas related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Facebook to the Rescue?
Facebook, a technological firm in its own right, is taking steps to help companies close these gaps. Facebook has partnered with the National Urban League to provide digital skills training to small businesses and nonprofits. The initiative is part of Facebook’s stated goal to train 1 million people in the United States by 2020.
In a Facebook newsroom post, COO Sheryl Sandberg explains, “Filling these jobs is critical to our economy and our communities—and we want to help more people learn the skills they need to thrive in the digital world.”
Starting in 2019, Sandberg says that Facebook will be offering training programs in 13 Urban League locations around the country, focusing on social media strategy and digital marketing. Locations will include Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Not Entirely Altruistic
So, what’s it in for the company (e.g., Facebook)? The benefits of such a training program to Facebook itself may not seem obvious at first. Unless the small business and nonprofit employees it trains end up working for Facebook, what’s the point in training them?
Part of the reason is that these trainees are more likely to use Facebook’s current and future services, leading to a larger user base and greater potential for monetization.
Businesses often bemoan the skills gap in the current economy. Traditional K–12 and even collegiate education often fall short in providing the skills employers believe are essential to success in their industries.
Facebook’s digital skills training partnership with the National Urban League is a great example of the private sector company stepping in, and stepping up, to address an issue on its own rather than looking to the educational system to close these gaps.
What opportunities might exist within your recruitment communities to provide similar training opportunities related to your own skills gaps?