Can Schools Prepare Our Youth for the Workforce?

A recent article in the Times-Gazette reported that the county superintendents each presented talks on how their individual schools are preparing students for the work force. The article did not report too many specifics nor give much analysis, so I can't say much. But it is interesting that such a meeting took place. Merely holding the event is perhaps a partial admission that they have not been achieving that goal.

I read a while ago an article in the Akron paper how many high school graduates today do not have a vision for the future. Many go to college simply by default: they don't know what else to do, so why not get more education? When they get to college students typically change their major (perhaps a number of times) as they attempt to figure out what work would best suit them.

Parents should be aware that this is a major fault in our modern educational system. By the time students graduate, the greatest skill they have developed is filling in bubbles on a bubble sheet--and you don't find many jobs that take those skills in the workforce.

Seriously though, schools today are cookie cutter institutions. It is a one sized fits all sort of education. All who go into them receive, for the most part, the same body of knowledge without regard to personal/individual talents and interests.

For instance, a boy who has an interest in cars may take a course or two in High School, but until then he must sit in his chair, be quiet and learn about Iroquois Indians. Moreover he receives the same education as a girl who has a great interest in flowers and has much potential to be a florist. After receiving their diplomas they both must find further education before being enrolled in their area's of expertise.

On the other hand, tech schools do well at helping youth prepare for the work world. In this regard they are a sort of off shoot of the apprenticeships of yesteryear. In these institutions young people are allowed to focus their interests in a particular field or trade. When they graduate they not only have the education they need, but they enable employers to spend less time (and money) training them.

Colleges are also better because they allow youth to "major" in certain areas. The education is more specialized and individualized. Honing in allows them to hone their skills. But this is often expensive, late (you are in your twenties now), and quite costly (loading up thousands of dollars in debt before entering the workforce doesn't seem all that smart).

This is one benefit that I see of home schooling (no, I am not a homeschooling only guy). In this context schooling takes less time and can be better focused. Also, parents can better discern their children's gifts, help them develop those talents, and enable them to utilize those abilities throughout the teenage years. As a result by the time the child is ready to enter the work force full time, he/she has already entered the work force part-time and makes a smooth transition.