American Manufacturing is Stronger Than Ever. But What About Workers?
July 23, 2024
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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. …
WIOA Still Helps People Get Jobs. Here’s How.
July 10, 2024
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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…
How Skills-Based Hiring is Reshaping the Economy
June 18, 2024
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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…
#1 Question to Ask in an Interview: What is your Culture of Learning? A Member of Able’s Team Reflects on Our Learning Culture
April 9, 2024
![](https://www.nationalable.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Blog_WIP_1200x628-learning-culture.jpg)
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…
You just got promoted at work – or did you? Explaining dry promotions
March 19, 2024
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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…
National Able Network Shines Bright During Career Changer’s First Job Search in 32 Years
December 5, 2023
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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…
As Holidays Approach, Seasonal Hiring Highlights Economic Uncertainty
November 14, 2023
![](https://www.nationalable.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Blog_WIP_1200x628-seasonal-hiring.jpg)
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&A with Chief Program Officer, Alejandra Sinecio : Workforce development, an inclusive future, and advice for first-time job seekers in the US
November 7, 2023
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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…
Curious How Much That Job Pays? Salary Transparency is Coming to Illinois
October 3, 2023
![](https://www.nationalable.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Blog_WIP_1200x628-salary-transparency.jpg)
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…
Hybrid Work is the New Normal
September 19, 2023
![](https://www.nationalable.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Blog_WIP_1200x628-hybrid-work-new-normal.jpg)
The Covid-19 pandemic prompted massive societal changes, from a volatile economy, to lower income inequality, to wider acceptance of hybrid work. Hybrid work is an arrangement where employees split their work between the office and their homes. Common schedules might…
On The Road to Success with National Able Network
September 12, 2023
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When Darren Stokes graduated from high school in Chicago, he immediately and eagerly joined the workforce. In almost every job he held, Darren’s motivation and ambition were easily recognized, and he quickly worked his way up to managerial roles. But…
How a Workforce Development Agency Works
September 5, 2023
![](https://www.nationalable.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Blog_WIP_1200x628-workforce-dev-month.jpg)
When people hear the phrase “workforce development” they tend to have a vague understanding of what it means, and they have almost no impression of workforce development agencies. But organizations like National Able Network and other workforce agencies serve an…