The Power of AlignmentBy: Cody Erskin & Michael Ackley

“MORAN, WHY DO I HAVE

TO KNOW THIS AND WHEN

WILL I EVER USE IT?”

The Opportunity GapThe Opportunity Gap

• In today’s career market, there is a market of technically trained employees for advanced jobs. By the year 2000, 65% of all jobs will require specific skills as compared to 20% in 1950. Technological training will have to be obtained beyond high school.

1950

20%

20%60%

skilled

professionalunskilled

2000

65%

20%

15% skilled

professionalunskilled

Today’s 6th graders will have 10 job changes and 3 career shifts. Of those, 4 jobs and 1 career have not been conceived yet.

… J. Naisbitt

Megatrends

70% of workplace reading is written at a 10th – 12th grade level. L. Mikulecky Indiana University

90% of all jobs require 3-4 hour of reading and writing per day!!

There are few options for our students who drop out of high school each year. One option is prison. 82% of inmates are dropouts- and illiterate by today’s standards.

In 2000, the unemployment rate of In 2000, the unemployment rate of workers age 25 and over with a:workers age 25 and over with a:

• master's degree was 1.6%;

• bachelor's degree was 1.8%;

• associate degree was 2.3%;

• some college, no degree was 2.9%;

• high school diploma was 3.5%; and

• some high school, but no diploma was 6.5%.(U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001, p1)

A comparison of the employment status of A comparison of the employment status of high school graduates and high school high school graduates and high school

dropouts in 2000 found the following:dropouts in 2000 found the following:

• 69.7% of high school graduates were employed, compared to 48.9% of high school dropouts;

• 10.5% were unemployed, compared to 19.2% of high school dropouts; and

• 19.7% were not in the labor force, compared to 32.0% of high school dropouts.(Snyder, 2002, p445, Figure 25)

Workforce Skill RequirementsWorkforce Skill Requirements• The education and training requirements of the 2000-

2010 projected total job openings, due to growth and net replacement are:

• 69.8% of jobs will require work-related training• 42.7% short-term on-the-job training;• 15.1% moderate on-the-job training;• 6.5% long-term on-the-job training; and• 5.55% work experience in a related occupation.• 20.9% will require a bachelor's degree or higher, and• 9.3% will require an associate's degree or

postsecondary vocational award.(Hecker, 2002, p83, Table 6)

The 2001 American Management The 2001 American Management Association (AMA) Survey on Workplace Association (AMA) Survey on Workplace

Testing found the following:Testing found the following: 14% of respondent firms tested all job applicants for literacy skills

35% of respondent firms tested some job applicants in literacy skills.

41% of respondent firms tested some job applicants for basic skills.

34.1% of applicants tested by respondent firms lacked the skills necessary to perform the jobs they sought.

84.6% of the respondent firms did not hire skill-deficient applicants;

3.5% hired skill deficient applicants and assigned them to obligatory remedial training;

3.0% hired them and offered voluntary remedial training

(American Management Association, p1)

The National Association of Manufacturers 2001 The National Association of Manufacturers 2001 members' survey asked employers about their members' survey asked employers about their reasons for REJECTING applicants for hourly reasons for REJECTING applicants for hourly

production positions.production positions.

• 31.6% stated inadequate reading/writing skills;

• 17.5% inadequate oral communication skills; and

• 20.7% inadequate math skills. (National Association of Manufacturers, p8, Figure 3)

Small business owners in the "Voices from Main Small business owners in the "Voices from Main Street: Assessing the State of Small Business Street: Assessing the State of Small Business

Workforce Skills" thought that the following skills Workforce Skills" thought that the following skills

were very important:were very important: • 86% - verbal communication skills • 77% - interpersonal skills • 62% - math skills • 59% - written communication • 52% - basic business skills • 46% - financial accounting • 43% - mechanical ability • 41% - computer skills • 18% - Internet knowledge • 18% - science

(American Express, Small Business Services, p12)