A poll of registered voters revealed that an overwhelming 80 percent think the skills students need to learn to prepare for 21st century jobs are different from those needed 20 years ago. And a majority of respondents believe schools aren't doing enough to keep up with these changing educational needs. They're right on both counts- but it's not the fault of our already over-burdened education system.
What does "work ready" mean today? How are businesses going to find competent workers from among a generation of teens whose dedicated teachers had to pay more attention to test scores than their students' future pay checks?
Employers expect potential employees to be work-ready before applying for jobs. In their view, today's teens are ill-equipped to succeed at work, but they're not talking about getting tough on the three Rs. Teens lack the necessary social and workplace skills needed to land the jobs they desire. This is the talent gap that needs to be bridged--the distance between what prospective employees know and what they need to know to succeed.
According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills--an organization that brings together the business community, education leaders and policymakers to advocate for the infusion of 21st century skills into education--the skills have already been identified. In addition to being skilled in the three Rs, science and technology (baseline skills for admission to a company's employment office), teens need to know more about the world. They need to know how to be creative and innovative, and have the ability to think across disciplines. With the Internet now an essential tool in the workplace, and information overload proliferating at a scale unimaginable just 10 years ago, 21st century workers need to be smarter about information--finding it and distinguishing good from bad. People skills have always been a requirement, but in the 21st century workplace that means teamwork, communication and working across cultures.
Junior Achievement believes the solution lies with organizations such as ours, which is a member of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, as well as with educators and businesses that support our vision of preparing kids for 21st century jobs. We are invited into the classroom by teachers who recognize the value of JA curricula and understand that, while meeting State standards, our programs include age-appropriate activities that model 21st century skills with real-life examples from our volunteers.
For example, NANA Development Corp. has teamed with Junior Achievement locally to offer JA Economics for Success, which helps teens answer the age-old questions, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" and "Why should I stay in school?" In addition to providing financial support, NANA encourages its employees to volunteer to teach the program in all of the villages in NANA's region.
In Alaska, local businesses support JA financially, and provide more than 350 volunteers to schools statewide to reach over 8,400 students annually. Through JA, this investment helps Alaska "Grow our own Business Leaders," and help prepare the future work force in Alaska. Together, JA can continue its mission of educating and inspiring students to succeed in a global economy.
JA's other work-readiness programs include JA Job Shadow and JA Success Skills, both of which are sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. These programs teach effective oral and written communication, teamwork and leadership skills, problem-solving and decision-making, and building self confidence. These are all skills employers cite as crucial to an employee's ability to succeed in today's workplace.
Junior Achievement programs are the solution to the challenges businesses face in bridging the work-readiness and talent gaps. By partnering with educators and businesses, JA helps students prepare for the future work force, focusing on 21st century skills. Such preparation is no longer the ticket to success for new workers -it is simply the price of admission.
JA hopes you will join with fellow supporters as we celebrate the past, present, and future of Alaska Business at the 25th Annual Alaska Business Hall of Fame. This event is JA's largest fundraiser and helps implement programs statewide in Alaska. Hope to see you there! BY
FLORA TEO, JA PRESIDENT
RICK WHITBECK, JA CHAIR
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