As the economic recovery chugs slowly along, people wonder what they have to do to find work, and employers wonder what they have to do to get worthwhile applicants.

Yes, despite the huge numbers of people out of work, many organizations complain of a startling lack of qualified employees.

In their book “The A+ Solution” John Bell and Christine Smith argue that there are actions leaders can perform to improve the employee pool, both in terms of existing employees and applicants, by helping the people who need jobs, many of whom require some kind of updated education or training.

They offer three basic steps:

• Education. Discover available training programs and resources by occupation and industry; Research current eligible training providers in the organization’s area; Evaluate education program offerings; and, Identify the organization’s needs, and then learn about program offerings and training resources available through associations.
• Communication. Find state and local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs); and, Contact the local WIB and One-Stop Career Center; Write to legislators, making them aware of the problems or challenges facing your industry.
• Advocacy. Identify the appropriate contact, federal, state and local; Do your homework; and Write to legislators.