Forefront Families

On October 2, 2006 a report was issued by the Conference Board, ‘Corporate Voices for Working Families’, based on a detailed survey of 431 human resource officials. Its objective was to examine employers’ views on whether high school graduates were prepared for the U.S. workforce. They found that the incoming generation sorely lacks the basic academic and applied skills necessary to maintain a competitive edge in today’s marketplace. “The future workforce is here, but it is ill-prepared,” it states.  These findings reflect the growing frustrations employers are facing. They expect young people to join the workforce with basic capabilities that include general knowledge, academic skills, and the ability to apply them. Teamwork, critical thinking and communication are more important than the 3 R’s in the minds of the employers because they are essential to success at work.   70% of survey participants cite deficiencies among incoming high school graduates in applied skills such as professionalism and work ethic, demonstrating accountability, and effective work habits e.g. punctuality, working productively with others, time and workload management. The findings also show new entrants to the employment scene to be deficient in basic English writing skills, including grammar and spelling.

            When asked how the employers will change their hiring practices in light of these findings, they say: 28% will reduce their hiring of new entrants with only a high school diploma; 49.5% will increase the number of 2-year college graduates hired; nearly 60% would increase the number of 4-year college graduate hires; and 42% agreed to increase the hire of post-graduate graduates over the next 5 years. Businesses countrywide are beginning to form partnerships with schools, running mentoring programs, providing internships, job shadowing and summer job opportunities. Parents can also play a major role in this equation. We cannot always blame the schools for our child’s lack of preparation for the workforce, despite the need for some major overhauls in our public education system. It does worry me as an educator to see how the boom has been lowered consistently rather than raising expectations and requiring excellence from children. They will rise to the occasion.

            You can teach your children to problem solve and to think for themselves by posing tough questions for them to work out and report back. Their writing skills will develop when you have them write out the answers to these critical questions, and your encouragement and occasional correction in their reporting back will sharpen these skills.  As parents we can set an example by displaying a strong work ethic. We can reinforce what they are learning at school and take an active role in their education, and by ensuring that homework is completed.  

            For more help on this subject, read my book, ‘Kids Don’t Come with Manuals’ available from our website, and check us out on  www.forefrontfamilies.org