This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Near-term Future of Global Travel

The Herman Trend Alert December 10, 2003 Education Curricula Shift School systems theoretically design and adjust their curricula---the courses that are taught to their communities' children---based on needs in the local community and around the world. Even though graduates move into national and international employment arenas, education remains a local purview---at least in the United States. Different countries have different policies about how education is delivered to students. The world is changing, more rapidly than many of us would like to acknowledge. These changes will necessitate alterations in the world's educational systems. Moving toward today's student needs, educators have increasingly focused on encouraging more students to qualify and enroll in four-year colleges and universities. Employers have sought applicants with degrees from these institutions, regardless of the relevancy of the educational experience to the requirements of the job. Indications are that we will need a different kind of educational system in the years ahead. While employers still appreciate graduates having a broad range of knowledge, they are practically begging for young people who can think, collaborate, communicate, coordinate, and create. Managers are frustrated with employees that have proficiency in particular skills, but are unable to effectively apply those skills to achieve results. There is a growing need for workers who can adapt quickly by learning new skills or knowledge and applying those strengths quickly to respond to customer expectations. Over the next 20 years, school curricula will be more geared toward teaching skills in learning and problem solving rather than mere factual knowledge. The shift will give even more attention to critical thinking, concept development, group work, project based learning, and similar aspects of applied knowledge and process skills. Our educational systems around the world will be agonizingly slow to adapt to changing needs. The answer lies in adult education and the workplace. Universities offering continuing education courses to [working] adults will introduce more of what they may call soft courses. Corporations are already investing in teaching these emerging skills and will promote such courses more heavily in years ahead. Corporate trainers will deliver these learning opportunities to employees at all levels, giving their companies a competitive edge. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." ARE YOU READY FOR THE RECOVERY? Most employers are unprepared. The recovery next year will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336.210.3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. GOOD SELECTION = BETTER RETENTION If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too! http://www.hermangroup.com/assessments.html IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Now announcing an opportunity in Africa (Ghana). E-mail info@EmployerOfChoice.com for more information. 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