The Aging Workforce Opportunity

Last Friday, the Institute of Politics (in partnership with the Three Rivers WIB) hosted a forum on the aging SWPA workforce. Nearly 150 business leaders, elected officials, social service agencies and foundation program officers gathered to better understand the challenges and opportunities created by our demographics. The speakers were outstanding. I won't mention them all here. I hope to have some more info (and actual presentations) soon posted on the HCPI website. For me, one of the most surprising points was that Pennsylvania may actually be ahead of the curve. (The Boston College speakers have researched other states' actions on this topic and PA is looking good.) And that was before they knew that Governor Rendell issued Executive Order 2006-04 Pennsylvania 2020 Vision Project. This directs agencies to develop plans to meet the challenges of serving an older population. Among other things, the project will evaluate the impact of the aging population on the workforce. Go PA!

Not Work Ready

I just started reading a report from ETS about High School Reform and Work and found this sobering statistic. According to research from the National Association of Manufacturers, the most common reason why companies reject applicants as hourly production workers is a lack of basic employability skills such as attendance, timeliness, work ethic, etc. (Sixty-nine percent of respondents chose this response.) I wonder how many of those production jobs are making the devices that make work more flexible and convenient (cell phones, computers, etc.) Keep in mind that we market many modern products by telling people that their purchase will buy them some form of freedom or an opportunity to break the rules. No wonder timeliness and attendance aren't respected.

Tomorrow's Workforce

Check out this Newsweek article about education reform in North Carolina. You'll see some interesting comments from N.C. Governor, Michael Easley. According to Easley, the current education model needs to be reconsidered. The flawed model was designed to send a few to college and to let others drop out or graduate with minimal skills. This doesn't fly if you want to be a global economic leader. So how do you build a stronger education system? Career preparation is a major component... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13122863/site/newsweek/