Preparing the 21 Century Workforce

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Preparing the 21 Century Workforce

• University of Western Carolina
• April 13, 2005
• Dr. Arnold Packer

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Questions

• What Will Americas Children Be Doing to Earn
  Their Living When they Grow Up?
• Will They Be Earning More or Less Than Their
  Parents?
• What Trends Are Influencing the Answers to
  Questions 1 and 2?
• What Responses Are Available?

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Determinants
Technological Advance
Immigration
Globalization
Responding Adaptively to Change
American Labor Market in 2030
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Technological Advance

• The End of Algorithmic Work Will Human or
  Machines Be Doing the Tasks?
• Reductions in jobs such as file clerks, computer
  operators, and bank clerks.
• Rate of productivity Increase almost doubled.
  Grew 2.4 annually from 1996 to 2001 as the U.S.
  invested in computers and learned how to use
  them. (CEA 2005)

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Increase in Internet Usage

At home
At work
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Globalization

• Imports of goods. Everyone has to meet the
  China price. Recent boom in imports of
  Chinese textiles as quotas were lifted.
• Imports of services (outsourcing) as broad-band
  technology enables it.
• India and China have 1.3 billion rural people.
  Current wage is about 80 cents/hr.
• Increase of competition from Eastern Europe after
  the fall of the Soviet Union

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Immigration
Millions
2000
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Immigrants a Growing Share of Population and
Faster Growing Share of Employment
Share of Population
Share of New Jobs
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Response

• Learning through both formal and informal means
• Education Formal, in classrooms often not
  fully relevant
• Other Informal, at the workplace, home, and
  community often relevant but not recorded or
  certified
• Solution
• Make formal education relevant
• Record and certify informal education

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Education Pays
Source U.S. Census
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Rising College Attendance Especially Among Women
Thousands
Percent
Women
80
70
Women
Men
Men
Percent
In thousands
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The College Pipeline
100
68 Graduate 4 Years Later
Enter 9th Grade
40
27 Return for Sophomore year
Enter College
18 Graduate on Time
Source National Center for Public Policy and
Higher Education,
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Bill Gates

• Requires workers who can communicate clearly,
  analyze information and solve complex problems.
• Recommends Ensure that all students are given a
  challenging curriculum that prepares them for
  college or work that their courses clearly
  relate to their lives and goals

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SCANS Problem-solving Abilities in Five Areas

• Planning SystemsMoney, Time,
  Space, Monitoring, ImprovingStaff
  Designing
• Information TechnologyGathering,
  Evaluating, Using, Fixing, Communicating
  Selecting
• Interpersonal
• Serving Clients, Teamwork, Teaching, Negotiating,
  Working with Diversity

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The End