With skill shortages hitting many sectors of the workplace, it’s no wonder that managers are having difficulty expanding their teams. But who says talent has to come from the outside? Workforce Management recently profiled one company that implemented an innovative (and successful) effort to grow its own talent instead.
In 2005, public electric-power utility Midwest Independent System Operator realized it was having trouble filling critical operations positions, competing with the rest of the industry for a “dwindling pool of mostly aging candidates.”
In an effort to get its key positions filled, Midwest came up with a four-part plan: create internships for college students, build an on-the-job training and advancement program, offer employee rewards for referrals who become hires, and implement an H-1B visa sponsorship effort.
By 2007, the program had produced several new technical employees for the company, which is now fully staffed.
Just goes to show that sometimes — with the right leadership, smart management and a dash of creativity — you can find all the help you need right in your own backyard.
(image by aussiegall via Flickr, CC 2.0)
