hen it comes to the value of continuous learning and study, there is no shortage of studies. A common finding of most of them may be the most agreed- upon but least acted- upon facet of the United States’ growing concern over its skills deficit: The primary importance of work- force training. Those cities, regions and states that choose to think forward in this realm are most apt to move their economies forward in equal measure.
According to the Accenture High Performance Workforce Study released in June 2006, a mere 14 percent of 250 executives said the overall skill level of their work force was “industry- leading.” And only 20 percent felt their employees understood company strategy and what was necessary to be successful in their industries.
“The lack of essential skills is a vital issue for senior managers,” said Peter Cheese, global managing partner in Accenture’s Human Performance practice. “As the competitive environment grows more demanding and as markets become increasingly commoditized, the need to cultivate these skills — particularly in the critical functions — should be at the top of every corporate to- do list. Those companies that fail to develop their workforces risk losing their competitive edge.”
The annual Duke University/CFO Business Outlook Survey, results of which were published in the July 2006 issue of CFO, found that only 24 percent of 584 CFOs surveyed were optimistic about the direction of the U.S. economy. Two of their five most frequently cited worries were the cost of labor (15 percent) and the skilled labor shortage (9 percent).
States, universities and colleges, community colleges and school systems are finding new ways to collaborate in order to ease those worries. They do so against a background of activity focused on getting that work force ready even earlier.
Such was the focus of Congressional testimony in the fall of 2005 by members of the National Academies’ Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century. They had been commissioned by members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to conduct an assessment of America’s ability to compete and prosper in the 21st century — and to propose appropriate actions to enhance the likelihood of success in that endeavor. Their report’s title was both ominous and optimistic: “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future.”
Among its findings was the gradual offshoring of higher- skilled job categories to other countries (from software development and engineering to administration and services) and the equally concerning performance of U.S. students in math and sciences. Among the committee’s recommendations was a work- force training program of its own: the recruitment of 10,000 new math, science and technology teachers, backed by a scholarship program and public- school teaching commitment for new teachers and a panoply of continuing education and higher degree options for the nation’s 250,000 current teachers.
As part of the committee’s “Best and Brightest” plank, the committee recommended establishing 25,000 competitive science, mathematics, engineering, and technology undergraduate scholarships and 5,000 graduate fellowships in areas of national need for U.S. citizens pursuing study at U.S. universities; providing a federal tax credit to employers to encourage their support of continuing education; and loosening immigration and visa restrictions that impair the attraction of international students.
Meanwhile, skills of domestic high school students need to be equally high for both work- force training and college, says a study released in May by Iowa- based ACT.
“The findings suggest that the math and reading skills needed to be ready for success in work- force training programs are comparable to those needed for success in the first year of college,” said an ACT press release. Based on these results, ACT recommends that all high school students should experience a common academic program, one that prepares them for both college and work- force training, regardless of their post- graduation plans.
“We can’t afford to have one expectation for students who plan to attend college and another for those who plan to enter the work force or work- force training programs after high school,” said ACT CEO Richard L. Ferguson. “If we educate some students to a lesser standard than others, we narrow their options to jobs that, in today’s economy, no longer pay well enough to support a family.”
“This landmark report makes it clear that we must ensure high school is relevant and rigorous for all students,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, chair of the National Governors Association Education, Early Childhood, and Workforce Committee. “We need to bring accountability and focus to our classrooms in order to prepare graduates for the fiercely competitive global economy, whether their next step is college or a career.”
ACT looked at the types of occupations that offer a wage sufficient to support a family of four, as well as potential for career advancement, but that do not require a four- year college degree.
These occupations — which include electricians, construction workers, upholsterers, plumbers, etc. – typically require some combination of vocational training and on- the- job experience or an associate’s degree.
The results showed that the levels of math and reading skills needed for success in the first year of college are comparable to those needed by high school graduates to enter the vast majority (90 percent) of the profiled jobs.
- Establish a statewide commitment that all students will be prepared for college and work- force training programs when they graduate from high school.
- Require that all students take a rigorous core preparatory course program in high school.
- Hold schools and states accountable for preparing all students for college and work- force training through rigorous core courses.
- Ensure that state standards reflect the skills needed for college and work- force training readiness for all students.
- Begin measuring student progress with aligned assessments as early as the eighth grade to monitor progress, make appropriate interventions, and maximize the number of high school graduates who are ready for college and work- force training programs.
- Use college and work- force training readiness as a prerequisite for entry into funded training or development programs and offer remediation for those who do not meet established expectations.
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