Workforce Development News – Sept. 19, 2011

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A weekly collection of interesting, insightful, and innovative articles on workforce development, employment and training, business performance improvement, leadership, higher education, and the economy.

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The Workforce Solutions Group of St. Louis Community College leverages education for growth in the knowledge economy by offering programs and services designed to advance people, businesses and communities. We are located at the Corporate College, a state of the art facility solely dedicated to corporate education and professional development.
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CWI: Innovation in Motion

The August 29, 2011 grand opening of the new St. Louis Community College Center for Workforce Innovation views the facility’s cutting edge instructional labs, candid reactions from community and business leaders and formal comments from the Governor, STLCC Chancellor and Board of Trustees Chair. The Center, located adjacent to the college’s Florissant Valley campus, is a 32,000 square-foot facility that will serve over 500 students annually. The facility provides cutting edge workforce training programs in aerospace, automated controls, industrial maintenance, green technologies and sustainable construction. “Whether it’s nursing, computer technology, green energy or Aerospace, Missouri’s community colleges train students for the careers of the 21st century,” Gov. Nixon said. “By aligning the needs of the workforce with the curriculum in the classroom, we can prepare Missouri students to be competitive and successful in a changing economy.” Come see our newest facility that showcases Governor Nixon’s vision of Missouri community colleges. See what everyone is talking about: workforce training innovation in motion. (YouTube 2:31).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPaP7ul3yDY

The Art of Asking Questions

“Many managers don’t know how to probe the thought process of their subordinates, colleagues, and bosses — and instead make assumptions about the basis of their actions. And when those assumptions are wrong, all sorts of dysfunctional patterns can be created. There are three areas where improved ‘questioning’ can strengthen managerial effectiveness; and it might be worth considering how you can improve your skills in each one.”
http://blogs.hbr.org/ashkenas/2011/08/the-art-of-asking-questions.html

8 Things You Should Never Say to Customers

“Great customer relationships: Hard to establish, easy to ruin — especially when you say the wrong things.”
http://www.bnet.com/blog/small-biz-advice/8-things-you-should-never-say-to-customers/4352

The Midwest Challenge: Matching Jobs with Education in the Post-Recession Economy

New report. “While the economy continues to transition from a production-based economy to a services-based economy, manufacturing and agricultural employment in the Midwest will continue to decline. However, Midwestern states are no longer solely dependent on these industries. New jobs in the region will be in high-skill service industries such as education and healthcare. These new jobs will require at least some postsecondary education and training beyond high school.”
http://cew.georgetown.edu/237623.html#midwest

What Hiring Managers Really Look For

“Find out as much as you can about what they’re looking for, think about your knowledge and experience, find the intersection points, and deliver a couple of hard-hitting anecdotes that demonstrate you’re the one who can do what they need done.”
http://www.bnet.com/blog/ceo/what-hiring-managers-really-look-for/8410

Can Retraining Give the Unemployed a Second Chance?

“Americans looking for employment often lack the skills they need. Retraining works. Sometimes.”
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/can-retraining-give-the-unemployed-a-second-chance-09142011.html

St. Louis Workers’ Education Matches Available Jobs — But Just Barely

“Unemployment rates in the largest U.S. metro areas have been affected to varying degrees by a mismatch between worker skills and job requirements, as well as the decreased post-recession demand for workers. Both are hampering the recovery. The St. Louis metro area ranks 45th out of 100 metro areas for how well the typical worker’s education matches that required by a typical job. That ranking blends both the local education gap and predicted job growth, which considers local industry makeup. St. Louis ranked No. 46 for education gap alone, and 50th — the middle of the pack — for predicted job growth.”
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2011/09/09/report-st-louis-workers-education.html

Four Steps to a Timeless Business Strategy

“Those companies that prove a timeless business strategy, philosophy, and approach—which has nothing to do with fashion and everything to do with purposeful service.”
http://www.businessweek.com/management/four-steps-to-a-timeless-business-strategy-08302011.html

Interactive Graphic: Jobless Rates Up in Most States

“The majority of states recorded increases in their unemployment rates in August with the job market stuck in neutral. Earlier this month, the Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added no net jobs in August while the national unemployment rate remained at 9.1% for the second month in a row.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704852004575258351245321016.html

The 32 Dumbest Things That Real-Life Managers Said

This list contains some “true classics”:
http://www.bnet.com/blog/salesmachine/the-32-dumbest-things-that-real-life-managers-said/17495

Impact of American Jobs Act on Missouri

White House PDF.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/THE_AMERICAN_JOBS_ACT_Impact_MO.pdf

Special Focus: LinkedIn

5 Ways to Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile
“LinkedIn offers something that is not fully available on other platforms: the ability to show off your work history and accomplishments. It’s the social network to be on if you want to be visible to business professionals.”
http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2011/09/5-ways-to-enhance-your-linkedin-profile.html
Job-hunting? Facebook, LinkedIn and You — Six Social Media Tips
“Adults are doing it. Using online social networking sites, that is.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryhannon/2011/08/28/job-hunting-facebook-linkedin-and-you-six-social-media-tips/
How to Use LinkedIn Groups to Build Relationships
“Job seekers often update their profiles on LinkedIn without delving any deeper into this professional tool. But there are many features that can help you build relationships, ones that can lead to new career opportunities. A good place to start is LinkedIn Groups.”
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/08/04/how-to-use-linkedin-groups-to-build-relationships
9 Steps to Find the Right LinkedIn Groups to Join
“Groups are like informal communities based on industries, professions, themes, niche topics… since any LinkedIn member can create one, there are nearly a million groups. Find the right groups and you can keep up with news and trends, make connections, ask and answer questions.”
http://www.bnet.com/blog/small-biz-advice/9-steps-to-find-the-right-linkedin-groups-to-join/4296
Claim Your Volunteer Hours on Your LinkedIn Profile
“As more companies embrace socially responsible initiatives, knowing that top talent are looking to get additional fulfillment from their careers, it turns out we aren’t really claiming those volunteer hours on our resume.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/09/07/linkedin-report-claim-your-volunteer-hours-on-your-profile/
How to Get Exposure and Build Web Traffic with LinkedIn Today
“LinkedIn Today is a social news platform that gathers stories, articles, etc. based on what LinkedIn users share with each other.”
http://www.bnet.com/blog/small-biz-advice/how-to-get-exposure-and-build-web-traffic-with-linkedin-today/3511

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” – Thomas Jefferson

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