Edward E. Gordon Presentations
Presentations by an inspiring job-skills expert who is a professional speaker, author, researcher knowledgeable interdisciplinary thought leader who …
- Offers actions for today and explores the future
Ed draws on extensive pragmatic business, education and governmental experience with hundreds of clients. His latest best-practices research helps people think about innovations for today and success strategies for tomorrow. - Delivers powerful wake-up call messages with humor
Ed gives audience a clear “big picture” reality check as well as specific actions for solving complex talent issues
Audiences:
- Regional Workforce Boards
- Businesses
- Educational Institutions
- Government Agencies
- Chambers of Commerce
- Regional Development Alliances
- Trade / Professional Associations
- Unions
- Non-Profit Organizations
Presentation Types:
- Keynotes
- Workshops
- Executive Briefings
- Retreats
Watch an Ed Gordon Presentation:
- View a presentation focused on recovering from the COVID-19 employment meltdown.
- View a presentation to the Watertown SD Economic Summit
- View a segment of a speech at the Wayne Count Ohio Workforce Summit
Program Descriptions:
(Please note that all the programs below will be specifically customized for each audience based on the occupations represented, geographic regions, pertinent issues and our current research. Program titles can be changes to reflect client needs. We will gladly consider client requests for other specialized programs.)
Job Shock: Repairing the Broken Talent Pipeline
COVID-19 has severely disrupted the U.S. labor market and made education and training reform vital components for closing the current skills-jobs disconnect. Ed Gordon will explore: What factors will be central to reviving the U.S. economy and providing more Americans with better-paying employment? What challenges do demographic shifts, rapid technological changes, and skills deficits pose to the future of the U.S. job market? What are some promising solutions for rebuilding the U.S. education-to-employment system? This presentation is based on the research for his “Job Shock” White Paper that seeks to raise awareness of the additional economic and educational challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and explores ways for moving forward into a new skilled talent decade.
Future Jobs: Solving the Employment and Skills Crisis
A jobs and skills gap continues to increase across the United States. Technology and global business practices have continuously raised the employee knowledge bar for most jobs, yet talent-delivery systems remain unchanged. Why are over 30 million Americans sitting on the job sidelines, while over 10 million jobs are vacant across the United States? How can we create the skilled talent urgently needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow? Ed Gordon will help participants consider alternatives for creating a new skilled talent era. Drawing upon the best practices research for his award-winning book, Future Jobs, Gordon will focus on how broad public-private partnerships or RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks) are restructuring regional talent-delivery systems. He will include examples of promising RETAINs in which businesses, educators, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other community groups have formed collaborative programs to equip students with the education and skills needed for 21st-century jobs and careers and to retrain workers with the specific skills needed by regional employers.
RX for Vacant Jobs: Solving the Jobs-Skills Disconnect
Because of an expanding jobs-skills gap over 25 million trainable U.S. workers have left the labor market. At the same time, employers cannot find qualified workers to fill 10 million vacant jobs resulting in an estimated $260 billion loss in profit or productivity. This disconnect is set to worsen due to global working-age population declines and increasing skill demands in today’s workplaces. Drawing upon research for his award-winning book, Future Jobs: Solving the Employment and Skills Crisis, Ed Gordon will show how RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks) are now restructuring education-to-employment pipelines. RETAIN partnerships of businesses, educators, unions, government agencies, and non-profit groups are forming talent-delivery systems that better prepare people for today’s jobs and careers. They are retraining workers with the specific skills needed to fill vacant jobs and preparing tomorrow’s workforce through career education and information programs. They are also enhancing business productivity and competitiveness through providing incumbent workers with skill updates to meet the demands of workplace technology changes.
Mobilizing Regional Public-Private Partnerships: The Promise of RETAINs
Across America dynamic regional public-private partnerships are investing in new talent-delivery systems. Acting as intermediary hubs, these RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks) collaborate to build broader, interconnected pipelines of partners that bridge the talent gap between current educational preparation and the rising skill needs of local/regional businesses. Today across the United States there are over 1,000 RETAINs, which have a wide variety of local “brand” names. In this program Ed Gordon will explain how these broad alliances of businesses, educators, government agencies, unions, non-profit organizations and community groups are organizing successful regional talent pipelines. He will provide several model case studies and analyze how RETAINs are filling today’s vacant jobs and preparing the next generation of skilled workers. Gordon offers audiences a step-by-step RETAIN AAA Process (Awareness — Alignment — Action) based on years of research and consulting experience. He will show how these “Bridges to the Future” are increasing the productivity and profit of local businesses, attracting new start-ups for regional economic growth over the next decade, and preparing more people for better-paying jobs.
Today’s Employment & Career Education Challenges: Renewing the Vision
In the midst of widespread unemployment, the U.S. and world economies have a growing shortage of skilled talent. Increasingly complex technologies continue to set a breakneck pace of change. In these highly volatile times greater cooperation among businesses, career education professionals, government agencies, and non-profit community groups is needed to craft new education-to-employment systems for 21st-century technology-based economies. How can we create more skilled talent urgently needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow? Ed Gordon will explore how to develop career education and training programs that meet the skill requirements of local employers. Drawing upon research for his award-winning book, Future Jobs: Solving the Employment and Skills Crisis, Gordon will focus on how RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks) are restructuring regional education-to-employment pipelines. He will include examples of promising RETAINs that are offering career education and information to students and retraining incumbent workers to meet the skill demands of changing workplace technology.
Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities through RETAINs
Many of America’s 10 million vacant jobs require technical skills that are taught through apprenticeships. As baby boomers retire in increasing numbers, the demand for skilled technicians is escalating in all areas of the United States. Apprenticeships provide proven pathways for entry into a wide variety of technical jobs and careers. Drawing upon research for his award-winning book, Future Jobs: Solving the Employment and Skills Crisis, Ed Gordon will focus on how community cross-sector initiatives or RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks) are restructuring regional talent-delivery systems. In these highly volatile times such dynamic regional public-private partnerships are needed to expand both union- and businesses-based apprenticeship programs and craft new education-to-employment systems. Gordon will include examples of promising RETAINs in which businesses, educators, union leaders, government agencies, and community non-profits are collaborating to increase apprenticeship opportunities. Their programs both inform students and workers about in-demand jobs and careers and provide programs that develop the skills people need in today’s workplaces.
Ed Gordon’s presentation clients include: regional workforce boards, state and regional economic development agencies, talent development agencies across the U.S. and in other nations, professional and trade associations, chambers of commerce, unions, non-profit organizations, universities, community colleges, business schools, school systems, the U.S. Departments of Education, Commerce and Labor, the Federal Reserve Bank, and companies of all sizes ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to small businesses. (See client list.)
Here’s what people say about his programs:
“Ed’s presentation and insight into the workforce issues facing employers at our Talent Innovation Summit created a buzz and opened the door for conversations that matter. Ed’s work with RETAINs across the country is the foundation we are considering for our bi-state workforce alliance”
—Jim McShane, CEO, CareerSource Capital Region, Florida
“The presentations were great and we received some very positive feedback. … Thanks for spending time with us here in Wayne County. You have planed the seed of workforce development in another community now and I hope you will be pleased to see what grows from it.”
—Rodney A. Crider, President, Wayne Economic Development Council, Ohio
“Thank you again for your direct and passionate presentation here Tuesday — it was perfect.”
—Robert C. Sherer, Manufacturing Talent Director, Michigan Workforce Development Agency
“Your talk was informative and relatable and helped put the issue into perspective, not only for our board, but for the numerous business leaders, government officials, and educators who were in attendance. Your plan to change the way future workers are educated and your illustrations of how other cities are heading in that direction were thought-provoking. … We would and have recommended your presentation.”
—Darcy Bucholz, Executive Director, Northern Illinois Workforce Alliance
“Thank you again for leading a great group discussion. … It was exciting to see the enthusiasm and passion in a room that was a nice cross-section of our community.”
—Roger Curtis, South Central Michigan Works (WIB)
“Your presentation was timely, relevant and held the interest of our diverse audience of business, education, and government leaders. Our board members in particular were engaged and lively follow up discussion continues.”
—Judy Begland, CEO, Opportunity Inc. of Hampton Roads, Virginia
“Thank you for challenging us with a call to action at the IEEE_USA Annual Meeting. I really appreciated your enthusiasm and passion for this subject.”
—Nita Patel, 2010 IEEE-USA Annual Meeting Chair
“Your dinner speech was superb!”
—Steve Leahy, President & CEO, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce
“Reviews from guests at the luncheon indicate it was a very successful event. One of our long-time members and constant event attendees declared, ‘This was the best event JCCI has ever presented.’ This is truly high praise, given that JCCI audiences are not prone to displays of ebullience. … Your message and style of delivery worked wonderfully with the audience we had present. I can honestly say, ‘Don’t change a thing.'”
—Charles R. Cramer, Executive Director, Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., Florida
“Your presentation prepared and encouraged industry leaders to take their organizations to the next level and motivated them to maximize their potential in the face of a changing 21st century workforce. Feedback received from attendees was quite positive and comments indicated that your presentation ‘hit the mark.'”
—Linda Halliburton, Department Director, College of Continuing Education, University of Minnesota
“Ed Gordon is a visionary!”
—Marlore D. Derby, Delaware Association of Adult and Continuing Education
“Great Speaker — great ideas!”
“Very inspirational and thought provoking!”
“Perhaps the best keynote address I’ve attended.”
—Adult Learners Conference Attendees, Penn State University
“Everyone felt your warmth and sincere interest in adult education.”
—Carol Grell, Nebraska Department of Education
“Your remarkable presentation provided hope and motivation. We enjoyed every second of the experience.”
—Bob Zettler, Vice President, North Central College, Ohio
“Your opening presentation provided the energy and enthusiasm to enable attendees to begin the conference on a high note. We in Kansas feel fortunate that you are willing to give us your time and expertise.”
—Carolyn Olson, Associate Director for Technical Education, Kansas Board of Regents
“Your presentation was wonderful.”
—Elizabeth Isler, Associate Vice President, North Carolina Community College System
“Your presentation was well prepared, well delivered, and stimulating. What else could we ask for?”
—Jean Varnum, University of Maine
“I have received many positive comments regarding your energetic and informative keynote, and your candid emphasis on literacy as the most important issue facing our nation today.”
—Patricia L. Rickard, Executive Director, CASAS, California
“The attendees were very impressed with your presentation….are still commenting about your excellent and enthusiastic presentation style.”
—Jane A. Kerlagon, St Louis, Missouri Public Schools