b'HUMAN RESOURCESThesolution,addsPolce,isfortalent- guarantees, says Polce. At the very least,job, says George. To do that, we need to seekers like himself to forge inroads withyou helped put a trained professional outcontinually invest in our people and their educationalinstitutionstoboostinterestthere in the industry. skill set through ongoing education for both in trade careers among students and theirprofessional and personal enhancement, and mentors. It also requires building post-grad- Attracting new talent to a company is aidentifyhigh-potentialemployeeswithin uatenetworks,partneringwitheducationchallenge, and so is keeping new hires fromour ranks so we can groom them for more and training partners to hold industry aware- jumping to the competition. While competi- senior roles in the company.nessevents,andworkingwiththepublictive wages and custom incentives may get and private sector to carve out and promoteindividualsonboard,ittakesanongoingWhatitcomesdownto,sumsup more visible career paths in the field.commitmentandinvestmenttomaintainGeorge,isashiftinthewaycompanies employee engagement. Employees have totreat their employees. We need to recog-SELLING THE BRAND feel like they belong. They need to feel asnize and adapt our ways for the younger Its one thing to boost awareness for aggre- andthattheyareempoweredtodotheirnot measured in seasons but years.though they really matter to the companygenerations to ensure that their loyalty is gate jobs, but another to ensure those jobs are attractive for those who seek them out. Thats another important step. You need to have a great brand, and you need to sell thatbrand,saysGeorge.Youneedto let prospective employees know that your company truly values them, that you have a secure job waiting for them, and that you are willing to teach the skills required to perform the job to the right candidates.Greasing the wheels never hurts either. Someemployerswithintheaggregate industryhavestartedofferingincentives such as paid skills training and education, companyvehicles,moreflexiblehours, compensationforhealthandwellness activities, or more support during mater-nity and paternity leave. There are no tried-and-true strategies when it comes to putting together an alluring job offer. Thats why Polce says companies need to take stock of who they want to attract and then design perks that match. There isnt anything setinstonewhenitcomestoattracting talentwhat might attract one person might not attract another, he says. For example, parental leave incentives or gym memberships maydonothingforanolderdemographic, whereas flexible work schedules and moving support may work for younger people. So you have to look at who you want and understand what they value most.Eventhen,investingintalentattrac-tion and retention always comes with an element of risk. Its a gamble when you offer to do something like pay for [a new employees] education, but at the end of the day, you cant force somebody to stay withyou.Youhavetomakethedeci-sion to take that risk, pay whats needed tobringthemonboard,andhopethey stickaround.Butagain,thereareno WINTER 2020AVENUES 21'