In order to address current and future skills gaps, employers must continually prepare their workforce of today for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. It’s important to offer entry-level employees options to gain new certifications, take classes or online courses and develop leadership skills.

A historical push to require four-year degrees and meet long lists of qualifications, along with the use of non-inclusive rhetoric, has in part led us to where we are today. Talent who are available and open to work are choosing different learning pathways and refusing to engage with companies that don’t accept them as they are. The pandemic only accelerated this trend.