The New York Times published an article today saying that college tuition may be out of reach for most Americans. This, of course, is stunning news. If true, it will rip a gaping hole in the very fabric of our society. It will also, make the job of work-learning professionals that much harder.
- More remedial training.
- More training that teaches meta-cognitive thinking skills.
- Dealing more with splinter groups and labor unrest, as we further divide into the haves and have-nots.
- Dealing more with globalization as professional and managerial jobs are shipped off-shore.
- Dealing more with workers with different language and cultural backgrounds as professionals are imported to relieve shortages.
- Making due with fewer and fewer highly-educated workers, as fewer are college educated and more become expatriates escaping the toxicity of a more-divided, more-rancorous, more-economically volatile environment.
On the other hand, perhaps there will be a need for learning professionals who can be really creative in dealing with these issues. Perhaps China is educating them now...
I absolute agree with your observations, but I think we are already there, with the exception of #6. It is amazing what training needs and remedial training so many entry level employees need now.
In addition to the need for affordable, quality college education, there is also great need for improvements in K-12 education. We must dedicate more resources at all levels. It is an investment that will provide immense profit.
Thanks for the great post.
Posted by: Jeff Goldman | Thursday, 04 December 2008 at 10:39 PM
Just imagine if, instead of bailing out financial institutions, automakers and whoever else steps up next for a hand-out, they kept that money in an account and said, "Americans, you can go to college or any other job (re-)training you want, have a new car or catch up on your mortgage payments." And all we had to do was give our Social Security number to the university registrar, the auto dealer or the bank, and it came out of the "American Rescue Savings" account.
Nah, it makes too much sense.
Posted by: Reid Williams | Friday, 05 December 2008 at 01:51 PM