Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1219491
66 I ICT TODAY An excellent place to find candidates who already possess a lot of these qualities is the military. Every year more than 200,000 people transition from the military to civilian life. Companies are tapping into this candidate pool via Hiring Our Heroes career summits and events. At the career summits, service members and their spouses can connect and interact directly with hiring companies. Hiring companies have the opportunity to educate, inform, and inspire potential candidates about their industries and their companies. Many hires are actually made at the summits or shortly thereafter. BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE Attracting and retaining the best people goes a long way in any industry, but it is crucial in an industry like ICT that is already stressed by labor shortages and skill gaps. Liz Oplatka, a facilitator and business coach, explains, "We know from Gallup that employee turnover costs businesses $2 trillion a year nationwide. On average for companies with 100 employees, that number is a stag- gering $1.6 million per year. That, for many companies is the difference between breaking even and ending the year in the black." As an organizational development and change management leader, Oplatka goes on to say, "When companies do the work to become that great com- pany, the revolving door stops." To get to that point, deci- sion makers need to commit their organizations to doing the hard work of creating a culture and an environment where people are engaged and want to be there. It is possible. Oplatka says, "Companies that move in that direction are often rewarded handsomely in terms of employee satisfaction and engagement. I've seen it over and over again. The company becomes a better place to work, employees are happier, they're not looking to leave, and guess what? It shows up in a big way in the bottom line. For many reasons, satisfied, engaged employees are key to meeting financial and customer demands." CONCLUSION Whether it is finding a way to be seen in the vast array of career opportunities, equipping the next generation of installers and network designers with certifications and skills that serve evolving ICT roles and jobs or making the industry appeal to young students, the task of driving people to the ICT industry and filling open positions is daunting. As the world is quickly becoming interconnected via devices, the ICT job market will continue to be strong. BICSI along with their authorized training providers and other educational institutions continue to collaborate and deliver highly trained and certified professionals to combat the ICT talent shortage. However, there needs to be increased collaboration and innovative strategies between colleges, certification organizations, trade groups, manufacturers, ICT employ- ers, government, and end users in order to tackle success- fully a challenge of this magnitude. The key focus ahead: connecting people to an industry that is all about connecting people and devices. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Randal R. Reusser, RCDD, TECH, CT, has taught over 50 BICSI certification classes. He is also an elec- tronics, IT, and ICT instructor for Gateway Technical College where he has been employed for 16 years in the Business and Workforce Solutions Division. Since 1980, Randy has acquired extensive experience in electronics, IT, ICT, and technical man- agement. Prior to his current employment, he worked as a team leader, technical services manager, and electronic technician/ assistant manager. He has been published in eleven publications and has earned over 60 technical certifications. Randy received a diploma in electronic servicing from Milwaukee Area Technical College, an Associate of Science degree as an electronic techni- cian from Gateway Technical College, a BS in business adminis- tration from Carthage College, and an MBA from Marquette University. Randy serves on the BICSI Board of Directors as the newly elected U.S. North-Central Region Director. He can be reached at reusserr@gtc.edu. REFERENCES: 1. Patrick McLaughlin and Jared Saunders et al., "Results of the Cabling Industry's First Comprehensive Salary and Wage Study," CI&M Magazine. https://www.cablinginstall.com (1 March 2019).