The attention of the nation has been on the economy. Most of the focus of Presidential election has been on jobs. While each candidate has focused attention on policies they say will bring unemployment down in this nation one seldom hears about the primary problem, lack of appropriate academic training and skill development. The reality is that employees are begging for workers with the right skills. Last month at the Governors’ Energy Conference there was a special focus on Workforce Development because the energy companies cannot find workers to fill their job demand. One presentation focused on what could be done to re-train soldiers that were leaving the military so that they could fill some of these jobs. A speaker in another presentation stated that his company had asked for a special waver on foreign passports so that he could recruit workers from abroad because, “Foreign students have the necessary background in math and science.”

There was the same story at another conference focusing on Advanced Manufacturing. Many believe that manufacturing jobs have all gone overseas. This is not true. Low-skill assembly line manufacturing jobs are gone but high-tech advanced manufacturing opportunities are flourishing for those, again, with the appropriate academic skillset. One of the speakers at this conference called for stronger STEM preparation in our K-12 schools and a deliberate effort to reach out to parents of children to make them more aware of what it takes to get a job in this economy.

So what are some of the issues related to this problem? Here are a few that have been identified:

• American Schools have not really changed much since their inception at the beginning of the Industrial Age. At that time we were trying to give students an opportunity to help the family on the farm so schools were only set up to last 180 days with the summers free. Very few children today work to help their family-farm income. We gasp that American students rank near the bottom on international math and science assessments but fail to realize that most of those students are in school at least 220 days a year. Think of how much more a child could learn with an additional 40 days a year of practice!
• Academic preparation is too often segregated from Career and Technical education. The “American Dream” has been identified with going to college. This creates several problems, not the least of which is the perception that career and technical preparation is less desirable. Virginia has two types of high school diploma, generally called the Standard and the Advanced Studies. The Advanced Diploma requires foreign language classes, more science, and completion of higher-level math. This difference leads most to think of the Standard Diploma as being for the student who is not preparing for college but going to work. The fact is that the career and technical programs that really prepare students for industry certifications require just as much math, science, reading, and writing academic preparation as college prep programs do. Many students complete math and science requirements for the Standard Diploma by the end of the 9^th grade. What job will they be prepared for?
• The demand for higher education is changing. Not long ago it was generally true that earning a Bachelors Degree would, by itself, open doors for a career. Still today there is sufficient evidence that obtaining a college degree increases earning potential through the lifetime. However, the cost of higher education has risen faster than most any other expense you can find. Meanwhile the demand for workers with degrees outside math and science related Majors has fallen dramatically. While there are millions of jobs available in STEM fields for young people without a college degree there are even more college graduates with non-STEM majors that cannot find a job. These graduates often have tens-of-thousands of dollars of debt that they cannot repay.

Who is giving guidance to the parents and students in K-12 schools to make them aware of these issues? Every student needs to participate in a comprehensive career development program beginning in 6^th grade with full engagement of his or her parents, Guidance Counselors, and teachers. This plan must engage the family with career assessment opportunities and planning that goes far beyond what classes are necessary to complete a High School diploma with the highest GPA possible. It is no longer appropriate to plan a future based solely on attending the college of your dreams or excusing the lack of a plan on with “what 16 year old really knows what they want to do.”

Tools for the development of such a comprehensive career program are readily available. The Virginia Department of Education and the College Board are two sources for free career programs. Many other companies provide a rich variety of other career preparation programs. However, this is another great opportunity for a strong public/private partnership between the local school division and local business. Most teachers and counselors have no idea of what skills are needed for Advanced Manufacturing, entry-level medical, or I.T. jobs. Which ones have ever seen the production area of a modern plant or a shop? Many students give a deft ear to the educator that tells them they need the most rigorous math and science class they can get each year of high school but they would listen to the local plant manager who tells them, along with their parents, “if you want a job you better take these classes.” Yes, its time to answer that age-old question all students ask, “What do I need this for?” And it’s time to get their parents to understand this too.

Prepared for VA Chamber of Commerce

Education Blog.

© Paul Nichols, President/CEO

Virginia Advanced Study Strategies