If you are considering a career transition, it's important to evaluate what industries will be growing in the near term.   Some roles may be changing due to progress in technology so that should also be a factor to identify.  According to the Spring issue of HR Magazine, there are certain occupations that are in-demand worldwide.  These professions have been among the most difficult jobs to fill over the past ten years.

• Skilled trades
• Sales representatives
• Engineers
• Drivers
• Technicians
• IT
• Accountants
• Project managers
• Office support
• Manufacturing roles

Whether you are currently a manager or want to create a plan to become one, there are some key skills that you need to have for success in the workplace.  Here are a few that are not industry specific and can be necessary regardless of what level manager you are:

• Problem-solving...Being able to identify solutions in project management and people management is crucial.
• Strategic thinking...Looking beyond today's situations and planning for future goals not only helps develop a vision for your team, but it shows your long-term commitment to the company.
• Negotiation...This is important in your team's collaboration and also in your ability to work with other departments internally.
• Change management...We live in a global economy that is diverse and ever-changing. Showing your employer that you are not afraid of change and can coach others through those times increases your value to the organization.

This question can be posed from both sides of the internship relationship - the employee and the employer.  The answer is the same for both - an internship is valuable when it's result is a win-win for both parties.  As a student/employee you will want to produce work that contributes to the company while learning new skills and/or building upon existing ones.  As the employer, you want to have results from the employee that help your projects and overall goals while also developing a potential pipeline.

Here are some ways for employers to build internship programs that will result in the ultimate win-win:

• Offer paid and unpaid internships. Paid internships are important for students to have during the summer and typically will be several hours a week since they aren't in school. Unpaid internships can be effective during the school year and should have part-time hours because the students will also be juggling school and extracurricular activities.
• Plan the intern's work and offer varied tasks. Having a student show up without a plan for their day will result in frustration on both sides. Create a work plan with goals, timelines, and check in meetings so everyone can stay on track and consistently communicate changes.
• Assign a mentor for each intern. Even if you have multiple interns in one department, each person should have an employee that will be their point of contact to ask questions, offer ideas, and get feedback from. There should be weekly communication with the intern to assess progress on work and address any concerns.
• Determine strengths and potential long-term fit. As the intern learns about the company culture and begins to produce work, employers should be identifying what their pipeline needs are and how the intern could fill future positions.