In the knowledge economy, preparing youth for the workforce is a major concern
While the nature of jobs in the United States has moved from an agrarian base to an industrial base, and more recently a knowledge-based economy, the way young people are prepared has not kept up with the pace of change. There is a disconnect between what young people are learning and need to learn, evident when employers report new entrants to the workforce are not prepared.
Companies are asking for young adults who have applied skills in communication, leadership, teamwork, and problem solving. Employers are reporting that young workers lack key skills and attributes necessary for success in today’s workplace. Thus, there is widespread concern that youth lack the skills necessary for success and are entering the workforce unprepared.
This concern will be compounded by shortage of workers. According to the Business-Higher Education Forum, the shortage of workers with some college level skills will be more than 12 million by 2020; with baby boomer retirements, employers must fill high-performance jobs. There are economic and social benefits to successfully filling these jobs.Countries that can produce and fill the faster-growing information and knowledge intensive jobs will innovate, thrive and grow in the global economy. And, for individuals, the stakes are high. Wages of workers with higher level skills are growing while those with low skills are declining. There is a growing gap between entry level service jobs and jobs requiring high levels of the applied skills described above. The traditional, well paid blue collar and administrative jobs such as automotive factory work are gone or quickly disappearing with job growth concentrated in higher-skilled occupations. This translates into earning power for individuals with higher skill levels and a dangerous decline for those without.
Ohio State University Extension, through its outreach efforts has an opportunity to partner with local communities and citizens to help with this issue. Learn more from future postings and my recent reading list:
- Building a nation of learners: The need for changes in teaching and learning to meet global challenges
- Are they really ready to work? Employers’ perspectives on the basic knowledge and applied skills of new entrants to the 21st Century workforce
- What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for America 2000 (15 years old but still relevant!)
- Work by Harvard and MIT Professors - Levy and Murnane or their recent book The New Division of Labor: How Computers are Creating the Next Job Market.
Posted by Graham Cochran