The president’s Council of Economic Advisers, headed by Christina Romer, has released a new study, “Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow,” that details projected national employment growth in sectors such as health care, construction, and environmentally related industries. The crux of the report, however, is that a person’s educational attainment is the single largest factor that determines whether he or she finds a high-quality job.
Although we cannot predict with certainty what the jobs of the future will be, the evidence strongly suggests that high-quality education and training are the best way to prepare the workers of today for the jobs of tomorrow.
Some of the other key points of the report include:
Employers, in future years, will seek workers with analytical and interactive skills. According to the study, “Researchers have highlighted the growing importance of “non-cognitive” skills in the labor market and argue that a range of behaviors that reflect “greater student self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-control” are key indicators that students are able to effectively learn and succeed in a modern postsecondary environment.”
The fastest growth will come from occupations that require associate’s degrees or postsecondary vocational awards. This, of course, means community colleges will play a vital role in training the workforce.
For more on the report check out blogs from The Wall Street Journal and New York Times.