Shift HappensHow Can I Be Better Prepared in this Era of High Technology and Globalization?

By Christine Waters, Counselor NB Tech

Career-Limited in the Era of High Technology & Globalization

The US is Tenth in the educational attainment of young adults.Canada, Japan and Korea, in that order, are at the top.

Current US reality: Only 40% of 27-year-olds have earned an AA or higher.

10th

40%

Jobs that require at least some college have exploded.Jobs with just a H.S. education have shrunk dramatically..

By 2020, jobs requiring a career certificate or college.

Alabama adults who currently have an associate degreeor higher.

THE SKILLS GAP MUST BE CLOSED!

58%

32%

26%

• Fall of the Berlin Wall: Democracies and

free markets.• Netscape IPO: Investment in fiber optics.• Workflow software: Paypal• Open Sourcing: Self-organizing communities• Out-Sourcing: India; Saves $ and 3rd world country• Offshoring: China to economic prominence• Supply-chaining: Suppliers networking• Insourcing: Mom & pop stores go global; UPS• In-forming: Internet is the personal supply chain

of knowledge• Wireless: Collaboration is mobile & personal

Many jobs will go to that corner of the world where there is the least resistance and the most opportunity.

The US share of the world economy is less

than 21%.

The greatest gains in US income have gone

to the highest income households

The Challenges• Nearly 50 years ago more than 3 out of every

4 jobs only required a high school diploma and most paid a good wage.

• Today, that number has dropped to 40% for jobs available to high school graduates and dropouts—fewer than 1/3 of those pay more $25,000.

• Nationally, just more than 75% make it to graduation; for the state of Alabama, about 64%.

• Only about half of college students finish a degree or workforce certificate.

• Roughly two-thirds of the 2020 U.S. workforce is already of working age today and 1/4 of those lack basic literacy and numeracy skills to qualify for most jobs.

Defining the Problem: Increasing Need for More Education

• A postsecondary degree or relevant workforce certificate is the new “minimum” and without it young people won’t be able to access the middle

class.

National Governors Association 2013-14

• Global Competitiveness• Too many Americans are under-

educated.• Economic growth linked to

postsecondary education.• One size does not fit all. • The rising demand of

employability and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills.

• The Times They Are a Changin’…1964‑

Why Career Pathways?

• 2034—largest, youngest population in the world. •No labor shortages•No lack of customers

•Top Outsource DestinationBy 2015—3.4 million U.S. White-Collar Jobs may be off-shored.

• Last 20 years China’s average annual economic growth is an incredible 9.5%

• China’s economy could be 75% bigger than US by 2050

• Any American who believes outsourcing of low skill jobs is the biggest threat to the US labor force is in for a rude awakening.

• China has 220 M “surplus workers”• US has a total of 140 M workers• China has more people that speak English as a 2nd language than US has population• ALL of India’s graduates were fluent in English.

•Cold Hard Facts of LifeBy Porter Waggoner

3 out of 4

(75%) American

Citizens

Ages 17-24

DO NOT QUALIFY

• Not physically fit• 27% Obese• 33% OHI

• 25%--No HS diploma

• Criminal Record

• Too much debt

Government Report“Ready, Willing, and Unable to Serve”

• Reasons:

• “Shift Happens” Video. http://vimeo.com/58839986

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkt2escJAQI