Tiffin University
Innovation Summit
BUILDING THE NEXT-GENERATION WORKFORCE
2023 innovation summit recap
THANK YOU FOR SHAPING THE FUTURE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT!
Tiffin University welcomed 63 CEOs, human resource leaders and influencers at our Innovation Summit on Thursday, November 16. The diverse industries represented in the room ranged from banking, education, financial, healthcare, insurance, legal, logistics, manufacturing, recruitment, sales, to local and regional economic entities and state legislative entities.
WHY IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IMPORTANT?
TU is deeply committed to transforming lives through education. That is why we have established the Workforce Development Division. This Division serves to bridge the gap between knowledge and professional practice, empowering individuals and driving regional economic growth. It positions TU to create a strong foundation for the workforce, fostering business competitiveness and community prosperity. Through collaboration with employers, educators and workforce agencies, we can align training programs with the evolving needs of industries. This strategic initiative creates clear pathways to in-demand careers within our local community. By equipping talent with the necessary skills, we not only sustain businesses with a skilled workforce, but also uplift lives through career advancement.
With qualifications that match the current hiring needs, we empower people to thrive in high-value roles. Simultaneously, a steady stream of qualified talent allows companies to expand and invest in our Ohio communities. We are fully committed to providing this vital training to ensure that everyone can succeed in the careers of tomorrow, and to position our communities to attract investments that foster prosperity for our region.
WHAT WE LEARNED
- Even though there were diverse industries in the room, our challenges are very similar to one another.
- There is an urgent need for Tiffin University to partner with you in order to help with your training needs so you can focus on what you do well – your core business.
We received a significant amount of interest from organizations, with 52% requesting further information on how we can align our talent development and recruitment efforts. This feedback confirms that we are heading in the right direction.
The results
1. What are the significant trends in workforce development in your industry?
- Declining work ethic, unreasonable salary expectations, decreased basic skills, increased mental health issues and difficulties adapting to technology.
- Importance of personal growth, interest in one’s career and investing time and energy to attract talented individuals.
- Importance of employee retention, leadership development and creating a culture that values professional growth.
2. What trend/trends are most challenging to address and why?
- Communication barriers, increased drug use, technology adoption challenges and a lack of motivation for obtaining driver’s licenses among younger individuals are highlighted as challenging trends.
- The importance and challenge of adapting to new technology in one’s daily tasks. In addition, the significant of early adoption of technology, especially AI, was highlighted.
- Challenges in attracting talent and efforts to adapting to schedules for working mothers.
- Younger generations’ shift towards expecting immediate benefits poses challenges for traditional, long-term employee investment.
- Breaking down the negative stigma individuals have regarding certain careers. Education and positive interactions towards these career paths are needed.
3. What are the most important skills needed for the workplace based on Questions 1 & 2?
- Skills such as critical thinking, effective communication, project management and soft skills are identified as crucial for future workforce development.
- The importance of preparing employees for advancement by teaching both technical and business skills.
4. What are the top upskilling certifications needed in your organization and/or industry?
The certifications below are the top needed certifications for organizations present at the Innovation Summit. They are listed in order with the most desired certificate at the top. Please note that only the most popular certificates are listed.
- Supervising Others
- Emotional Intelligence
- Teamwork and Team Building
- Leadership and Influence
- Interpersonal Skills
- Developing New Managers
- Cybersecurity
- Project Management Essentials
- Quality Assurance Technician
- Employee Motivation
- Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
- Safety Technician
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Data Analytics
- Digital Marketing
- CNC Lathe Production Technician
- CNC Machining Center Production Technician
- Mechatronics & Industrial Automation Technician
5. Do you have an easy way to gain access to these certifications today? If so, how are you doing this?
- The common theme was most organizations currently do not have a training program in-place.
- Some organizations have started to create their own training programs, but they are not doing it exceptionally well and it is taking time and resources away from their core business.
6. If you were to partner with us, what would be most important to you in this business-to-business relationship?
- Organizations want to know whether the certificates can be tailored to their specific organization.
- Explore the concept of a training menu for flexibility in selecting and prioritizing courses.
- Organizations want more detailed information such as pricing information, length of time to receive certificates, testing procedures, etc.
Tell us what you thought about your experience at the Innovation Summit! Click here to take our survey. We appreciate your feedback.
What’s Next?
If you informed us that you want to learn more about our Workforce Development Division, we will be reaching out to schedule those meetings with you.
If you didn’t tell us you want to meet, but would like to discuss this further with us, please contact Jayson Boyers at workforceready.tiffin@core.edu.
In disruption, there lies opportunity for greatness.
– Jake Wood