A Quick Story from the Field

Not long ago, I met a budding tech professional who had done everything right on paper.

They had completed a technical training program, earned industry-recognized certifications, and showed up to every opportunity ready to work. On paper, they looked like exactly the kind of candidate employers say they want.

But interview after interview, they kept hearing the same thing:

“We’re looking for someone with a bit more experience.”

At some point, “more experience” becomes code for something else.

So, we shifted the focus.

We spent time not just reviewing technical knowledge but practicing how to talk through problems. How to explain what you don’t know yet. How to show curiosity and creativity instead of hesitation or fear. How to connect past experiences—even non-technical ones— to the role in front of you.

In the next interview, something changed.

When asked a question they didn’t know the answer to, they didn’t freeze. They walked through how they would approach solving it. They asked a clarifying question. They showed their thinking.

They got the job.

Same certifications. Same résumé.

Different outcome.

What changed wasn’t their technical ability, it was their ability to communicate it, navigate uncertainty, and show up with confidence.

That’s the last mile.

We keep hearing about the “tech talent shortage.”

But from where I sit, the issue isn’t a lack of people—it’s a lack of readiness.

Across industries, employers are struggling to fill roles. At the same time, thousands of motivated, trained individuals are working hard to break into tech. Somewhere between those two realities sits what I call the last-mile problem—the gap between learning the skills and thriving in the role.

And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough:

That gap isn’t just technical.

It’s Not Always About More Training—It’s About Better Alignment

Over the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of technical training programs, certifications, and alternative pathways into tech. That’s a good thing. More doors have opened.

But many employers are still hiring as if the only thing that matters is what’s on a résumé—specific tools, years of experience, or a degree.

Meanwhile, what hiring managers often really want shows up in di erent ways:

• Can this person communicate clearly with a team?
• Can they troubleshoot under pressure?
• Can they ask the right questions when they don’t know the answer?

Those aren’t bullet points. Those are behaviors.

And they’re often the difference between someone who gets hired… and someone who succeeds.

The Hard Truth: “Entry-Level” Isn’t Entry-Level Anymore

Let’s be honest—many so-called entry-level roles now require 2–3 years of experience, multiple certifications, and the ability (or expectation) to hit the ground running on Day One.

That expectation creates a bottleneck.

It leaves capable, motivated individuals stuck just outside the door—not because they lack potential, but because they haven’t had the chance to practice in a real-world environment.

And it puts pressure on employers, who are searching for “perfect fits” in a market where those candidates are increasingly rare.

Soft Skills Are the Real Last Mile

Here’s what closes that gap:

Professional skills. Human skills. The things that don’t always show up on a transcript.

Adaptability. Communication. Accountability. Curiosity.

In tech roles especially, where things change quickly and problems don’t come with step-by-step instructions, these skills matter just as much as technical knowledge.

Someone can learn a new platform.

It’s much harder to teach someone how to navigate ambiguity, collaborate with a team, or recover from a mistake with confidence.

The most successful early-career professionals aren’t the ones who know everything—they’re the ones who know how to learn, connect, and persist.

This Isn’t Just a Candidate Problem

It’s easy to frame this as a talent issue. It’s not.

The last-mile gap exists because training providers and employers are often operating on parallel tracks instead of in partnership.

If we want to solve it, we need to meet in the middle:

• Training programs must integrate real-world expectations and professional skill development
• Employers must create on ramps that allow for growth, not just immediate perfection
• Both sides must recognize that potential is just as valuable as experience

Because the truth is—no one starts fully ready.

Closing the Gap

The organizations that figure this out will have a competitive advantage.

They’ll build stronger pipelines, improve retention, and develop talent that grows with them—not just fits a job description on paper.

And they’ll help reshape a system that, right now, is leaving too many capable people just one step away from opportunity.

That’s the last mile.

And it’s one worth investing in.

Dr. Demarus Crawford-White is Executive Director of NPower Ohio, where she leads efforts to expand access to technology training and career pathways across the region. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education and workforce development, she is a strong advocate for equity, skills-based learning, and debt-free pathways into tech careers. Her work focuses on connecting untapped talent to in-demand opportunities and strengthening Ohio’s technology workforce.