What does workforce development look like in a recession?

The U.S. is still in the midst of a pandemic-prompted recession, with October’s national unemployment rate at 6.9%. And many of those newly unemployed won’t see their jobs return.

It’s something we at Technical.ly will be thinking about a lot this November, as we dedicate extra reporting to workforce development efforts in each of our markets, including IT training programs, upskilling, tech apprenticeships, pipeline diversity efforts and the like.

For Workforce Development Month, we’ll be exploring: What skills are most needed for technical jobs in 2020 and beyond? How are local training programs shifting to meet post-COVID workforce needs? How are policymakers and institutions contributing?

There’s also the consideration of jobs and automation: Robotics experts tout STEM education as a path to advanced careers, and the benefits robots can bring to humans in the form of automating mundane tasks (especially those that are “dull, dirty and dangerous”). Amid COVID-19, it’s also true that more service and other low-paying jobs are becoming automated and therefore more vulnerable in the long term. Where do Philly, Baltimore, D.C. and Delaware fit into the response?

Some related stories we’ve published recently:

• Skills training means access to tech careers. Amid COVID-19, how are workforce dev programs adapting?
• Web developer is one of Baltimore’s top 20 family-supporting jobs
• The life sciences industry has posted gains in the DMV. Here’s what it will mean for jobs
• Zip Code Wilmington’s new TECHPRENEUR incubator combines coding and biz training
• Inside University City’s push to get those without four-year degrees into STEM careers

Are you a policy expert we should talk to, or do you know of one? Is there a report we need to read to better explain this topic? Want to write a first-person guest post about your experience training for a new tech career, or helping others do so? Want to share some workforce development resources? Let us know:

This editorial article is a part of Workforce Development Month of Technical.ly's editorial calendar.