Work in Progress

November marks the midway point of the fourth quarter of the year, and as such, means that another year of workforce headwinds and opportunities is almost at a close. It is still too early to do a look at the…

Most of Able’s funding comes from the federal government in programs such as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) or the Senior Community Service and Employment Program (SCSEP).   Because these programs were created by acts of Congress, they often…

If you are reading this article, the odds are you’re reading it on the computer. To do that, you either need to own a computer or go to a shared computer space, like a library. And those computers need to…

When you think of American manufacturing, what do you picture? Most people probably visualize a Rust Belt city on the shores of Lake Erie, smokestacks and the smell of slag filling the air, and a hollowed-out town in the distance.  …

A recent article in The Atlantic takes aim at the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and makes the case that WIOA training is ineffective and places workers into dead-end jobs.   In “The Problem with In-Demand Jobs,” author Kevin Carey…

Across the last two decades or so, employers have emphasized credential-based hiring practices. The refrain has become familiar: most – if not every – position within a company requires a college degree or some other credential as a prerequisite for…

A recent article from CNBC.com challenges employees to ask their leaders about what kind of “culture of learning” is available to them take advantage of. In this case, a culture of learning is everything from career coaching and development to…

Now that performance review season is over for most companies, news about promotions and salary increases should start making the rounds soon.   Traditionally, a promotion is expected to come with a raise. But recently, some companies are beginning to offer…

George Drain worked at a metal engineering organization for 32 years. He was an absolute expert in shaping and forming metal! Unfortunately, the organization went out of business in early 2023 and George found himself unemployed. The very first thing…

The period between Halloween and the December holidays is usually when shoppers are out in force and retail businesses bulk up their staffing to meet the rush. This year is no different in those regards, but with one key change…

Q: Why is important to celebrate and highlight the workforce development industry?  A. It’s important that we showcase the careers in our communities! Monthly and weekly celebrations like National Apprenticeship week, and especially Workforce Development Month which just occurred in…

Outside of “will I get the job?” the most burning question jobseekers ask is “how much will it pay?” It’s an important question, too, because it’s crucial to know whether your career move or new job comes with a pay…