Who’s Workforce Ready?
It’s essential to be properly trained to the perform the duties of a job, but are recent graduates truly workforce ready?
After many discussions with parents, I’ve come to believe that high schools and colleges are missing essential elements in preparing young people to enter the workforce. Leaving this (and possibly future)
Yes, students have a sound understanding of many subjects and should be well versed in the career path they’ve chosen, but this not enough.
What Else They Need to Know
Here’s a shortlist:
— How to look for a job
— How to research companies they are applying to
— Know how to prepare for an interview
— What questions to ask prospective employers
— What questions prospective employers can’t ask
— Know and understand their rights as employees
— Consider what benefits are important to them
— Adaptability – duties and responsibilities change
— How to collaborate with colleagues
— Understand how to prepare themselves for advancement
— How to keep up-to-date with changing labor laws
— How many of these items are recent grads able to clearly explain or answer?
Fill the Workforce Ready Gaps
This partial list is important for all new workforce entrants but especially for women and minorities.
From my admittedly unscientific survey, many young people entering the workforce are woefully unprepared. Some don’t know the minimum wage in their state/city. Others possess an inflated sense of their value to an organization
This needs to change.
Have conversations with your child about the additional knowledge they need, while keeping in mind that many things have changes since you started working. Encourage them to ask questions of you and others.
The employment landscape is vastly different than it was a decade or more ago. New workers need to be as knowledgeable about workplace expectations today.
The flip side of this subject is how businesses are or aren’t adapting to the “future of work,” which I’ll examine in a separate post.
Share your thoughts as a parent, employer or both in the comment section.
During the summer, I’ll host sessions on the basics of workforce readiness for new and returning workers.
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