In recent hard economic times organizations have lost workers and the knowledge that they hold. Workplaces have seen the knowledge held by employees walk out the door due to layoffs, failed businesses, retirements, and usual employee attrition. When one considers how much people learn on the job through their everyday experience as well as through training and education programs, this knowledge loss is a serious issue. Can knowledge management practices help? That question will be considered in a day long conference and workshop -- CHALLENGES OF THE CHANGING WORKFORCE -- on February 18, 2010, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM at the Heldrich Hotel in New Brunswick.

The meeting is sponsored by Rutgers SC&I's Knowledge Institute, Siemens Corporate Research, The Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy's Center for Workforce Development, and the School of Management and Labor Relations. Leaders from industry and the state of New Jersey, as well as Rutgers professors will discuss new challenges being faced by the workforce and will offer suggestions for retaining knowledge and dealing with difficulties around knowledge loss. The conference is related to a research project being led by SC&I graduate student Connie Pascal, assistant director of the Knowledge Institute.