Every American deserves access to the dignity of a good paying job.
An entrepreneurial spirit and gainful employment are the bedrock of America. Our country’s promise has always been a good day’s work, secure in the knowledge that every American has the ability to provide for their families and educate their children.
Ticket for Change
The United States currently has 5 million high-skill job vacancies.
Yet, today many Fortune 100 companies are confronting a daunting talent gap. Together, technology, automation and globalization have caused massive disruption in the world economy. Technology is changing how, why and where people work. Millions of jobs that brought prosperity to America in the post-World War II boom are being replaced by automation. At the same time, the technology revolution is creating new opportunities that require a different set of skills and experiences the majority of America’s youth are currently unprepared to fill.
“Jobs, jobs, jobs!” has been a campaign trail drumbeat for more than 25 years. While the unemployment rate has reached new lows, inequality in America continues to rise, creating a growing separation between the haves and the have-nots. While the children of the top one percent are born into a natural pathway to prosperity, the bottom 90 percent of American youth are born into households living off less than $40,000 a year, where many lack the preparation, inspiration and opportunity to find a good paying job.
Those students who graduate from high school, if they graduate at all, often lack the skills needed to excel in the 21st century economy. Most high schools fail to prepare students with the soft skills, science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) instruction and computing experience they need to qualify for a job in the digital economy. Further, few students have role models or professional guidance to understand their natural talents and what jobs they could be ready to pursue. The result is an enormous opportunity gap, where dreams founder and a growing number of jobs go unfilled.
Companies need help sourcing talent to fuel their growth at the same time that America’s youth receive the preparation and inspiration they need to gain access to opportunities that have for too long remained out of reach. Now more than ever, the public, private and social sectors must collaborate to create new and enduring education-to-workforce pathways in California that can be replicated across the nation, a learning revolution to prepare students for 21st century careers.
Our Focus
Throughout California and the United States, organizations are doing important work to ensure that students are being prepared with the skills needed to succeed in the future, to inspire students to seek out new experiences and to provide access to the jobs of the future. We will explore how these drivers help us focus in three areas that have the greatest potential to accelerate progress:
Dynamic change in the world economy is also changing the future of employment. High school students need an expanded ability to make thoughtful choices about their careers. Providing students with effective career coaching, relevant mentors and role models can help create clear professional growth pathways that inspire students to pursue relevant education and professional experience.
The digital economy demands soft skills, STEM and computing experience. Many students lack exposure to 21st century jobs and therefore are unaware of many job opportunities and their corresponding skill requirements. Through accessible skills training, innovative learning models that successfully keep young people in school and greater access to higher education, students will emerge prepared to join the modern workforce.
Leading companies and their employees can play a critical role in bridging the talent gap. By serving as mentors, expanding access to professional networks, creating work-based learning opportunities and streamlining application requirements, employers can collaborate with educational organizations to foster pathways to employment for today’s youth that yield the skilled talent they desperately need. At the same time, leading social sector organizations must energetically invest in new learning innovations.
Read next topic:
Equitable Access & Encouragement →
RESOURCES
1. Education Workforce Policy. “The New American Workforce: Challenges and Opportunities for Higher Education.”