Episode #119 | Building a Technical Workforce with Nontechnical Workers

The world’s only getting more and more technical, so of course people with technical skills are in high demand. But while workers flock to information-economy desk jobs, organizations in trade industries like energy and automotive are really struggling to fill all their open technical roles.

With a shrinking talent pool, many companies are looking in-house or recruiting from non-traditional sources. They’re bringing in people from nontechnical professional backgrounds and upskilling them to take on technical work. Needless to say, that’s easier said than done.

Back to talk with us about how organizations can craft a successful technical workforce is Roger Boisse, Senior Director of the online technical training platform GPiLEARN+. After graduating from Maine Maritime Academy, Roger started his career as a naval officer before moving into the private industrial sector.  He then spent 30 years in the power generation industry working his way from frontline technician to corporate executive, with responsibility for several power plants. He’s been with GP Strategies since 2021, putting all that expertise to use supporting customers in the technical industries.

Listen to the episode and discover how technical skills can be taught and developed, even among those who come from nontechnical backgrounds.