Learning a Living

• 56 percent of all college students surveyed say that high school left them unprepared for the work and study habits expected in college

• 49 percent of all non-college high school graduates surveyed say that high school left them unprepared for the work habits expected in the work force

• 45 percent of high school graduates are not adequately prepared for the skills and abilities they need to advance beyond entry-level, according to employer estimates

• 18 percent of college professors surveyed feel that most of their students come to college extremely or very well prepared

     What does all of this mean? Well, another school year has passed without a clear path to finding a solution to improving our schools. To some it may mean, here we go again with more statistics; for others, it may mean we have work to do to prepare today’s and tomorrow’s workforce. The latter is my view since it is our education system that prepares the workforce. The above data was presented in a report (February 2005), ‘Rising to the Challenge: Are High School Graduates Prepared For College and Work?’ The numbers should answer this question for you.

     America, we have a problem. I know, tell you something you don’t already know. Okay I will. There may already be a solution to our problem here. You see, since around 1998 another report, ‘Learning A Living: A Blueprint for High Performance’ outlines, in detail, how we can address this problem, not just at the school system level. This report was published by the U.S. Department of Labor by the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS).

     SCANS was asked to define the know-how needed in the workplace and to consider how this know-how is best assessed, as well as to determine the skills that our young people need to succeed in the workplace. After all, education is the means to a better livelihood, right?

     In brief, SCANS identified five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities that are needed for solid job performance. These are:

WORKPLACE COMPETENCIES - effective workers can productively use: Resources, Interpersonal Skills, Information, Systems, Technology

FOUNDATION SKILLS - competent workers in the high performance workplace need: Basic Skills (reading, writing, math, etc.), Thinking Skills and Personal Qualities (responsibility, self-esteem, integrity)

     The fundamental purpose is to encourage a high performance economy characterized by high-skill, high-wage employment, hence Learning A Living. No one can argue, convincingly, that education is not the foundation of our economy. Without an educated workforce, the economy is weakened thus making our society vulnerable. Sure we can recruit in India, China, and Russia for qualified workers. We can even move our jobs to those countries. Oh wait; we already do this don’t we? And where has that gotten us? I digress. Sorry.

     This is merely an introduction to a solution (if not the solution) to our educational woes. I strongly encourage all politicians, educators, business leaders, parents and concerned citizens who care enough about our youth, economy and country to review this report because it has some merit and may have answers we need. Our future depends on our education system and we can’t afford to let another school year pass without laying the foundation to help our “students” begin Learning A Living.
 

©Herm Allen Coaching, herm@hermallencoaching.net, (864) 903-7475

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