In my blog last week I wrote a bit about RPO and briefly about the broader content presented at ManpowerGroup Solutions Analyst Day June 8th. Now I’d like to take a broader view. A takeaway for me is there is no doubt in my mind that ManpowerGroup truly gets that there is a talent shortage globally, which is rapidly getting worse, and is actively helping its clients to attract and retain talent. Though unemployment rates may be high, there is a mismatch between availability of skills and demand for skills. Access to talent is going to be critical for companies to succeed! Estimates are that unemployment levels of skilled talent are 4-5% while unskilled talent is nearer the 20% range.
According to ManpowerGroup’s 2011 Talent Shortage Survey, 34% of employers are having difficulty filing vacancies. In the U.S. 52% of U.S. employers experience difficulty in filling mission critical positions. This is not just high-tech positions we are talking about but includes manufacturing, where an ever-increasing number of workers are retiring. It’s not just a U.S. problem, it is a global problem, including countries such as Japan, China and Australia, where 30,000 engineers are needed. As an example, to help solve the Australian problem, engineers in India are being looked at in addition to partnering with educational institutions to develop those skills.
At the end of the analyst event we were given a booklet written by ManpowerGroup, called “Entering The Human Age, Thought Leadership Insights”. In the introduction written by ManpowerGroup CEO Jeffrey Joerres, it states that “a new era is upon us, the Human Age, when optimizing human potential will be the single most important determinant of future business success and growth. From 2011, 10,000 baby-boomers will turn 65 every day for the next 19 years. To thrive and grow, companies and governments will need to engage and motivate older workers to remain in the workforce longer, and find a way to engage and train their youth, particularly by aligning training and education systems with the skills required by employers”. Sounds to me like an opportunity for learning providers to be ready to help! There is much more valuable information and insight to be had at http://www.manpowergroup.com/humanage/index.html
In sum a very worthwhile day and if you are an RPO provider, Learning BPO provider and/or anyone in the talent management business, you are in the right job to help your clients succeed in the new Human Age.
Gary Bragar, Lead HRO Analyst, NelsonHall
HRO Insights 
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