Opening the youth floodgates to end the worker drought - Guest Column - Career and Education Network developing program to help young people with career and education decisions

DSN Retailing Today, Nov 25, 2002 by Bob Verdisco

The retail industry doesn't have to look very far to discover its greatest challenge. It's an issue that's been around for years and will continue to be high on every retail executive's problem list for the foreseeable future: the "worker drought"--the ongoing difficulty in finding, hiring and retaining qualified employees at every level of the organization.

At the root of the problem are two dissimilar, but related, conditions. The first is one that many in our industry hesitate to acknowledge: retailing's poor image, particularly among young people, the group that should be our natural supply chain for new employees.

The second condition, prevalent in the nation's educational system, is the virtual lack of practical connections between classroom studies and career possibilities. Parents, teachers and counselors have few resources to help young people make realistic career and educational decisions.

Fortunately, there's an exciting new initiative with the potential to rectify both situations by helping young people identify rewarding and productive careers while simultaneously assisting employers in addressing their hiring and retention problems.

IMRA has become a charter member of the Career and Education Network, an organization that is developing a nationwide program to assist young people with critical career and education decisions. CEN is building an integrated, Internet-based network of students, educators, post-secondary schools, employers and industry organizations--the key stakeholders in the school-to-career transition process.

CEN's Web site facilitates the exchange of career information between CEN business partners--such as IMRA and its members--and students and educators. For the first time, schools and students will have access to career information created by the employment community.

All CEN programs are available, free of charge, to every high school in the United States. In exchange, participating schools agree to assign a faculty member as CEN coordinator and to display CEN posters and distribute Web site materials to all faculty and students. The program will be supported by participation fees paid by employers who want to gain exposure and promote their career opportunities to millions of young people entering the workforce directly from high school or making plans for further education.

Currently, the CEN Web site offers an array of self-directed guidance tools that help students explore their career plans and supplies learning tools that greatly enhance teachers' and guidance counselors' efforts. Although the program is brand new, more than 1,800 high schools have already registered.

IMRA will provide career information on the retail industry, including an industry overview, career descriptions and requirements, retail employee interviews, scholarship information, corporate partnership information and more. IMRA's members will have the opportunity to promote retail careers in general, as well as opportunities at their individual companies. (Think about using this process to paint a true picture of retailing careers.)

We're excited and proud to be a part of this worthwhile new endeavor. The entire retail community should get on board, help America's youth take that important first step on their career paths, and put an end to the worker drought once and for all.