This Week's Herman Trend Alert Telecommuting to a Better Bottom Line

The Herman Trend Alert February 14, 2007 Graduates Lack Life Skills One of the refrains we often hear from employers is that graduates lack skills, particularly life skills. They tell us that many young people graduate from high school or college without knowing the basics: literacy, numeracy, what it takes to hold a job, or balance a checkbook. In a study by the Pew Charitable Trust, 50 percent of college graduates were found to be lacking in simple life skills. These grads were tested for three types of literacy skills: analyzing news stories and other prose, understanding documents, and having math skills needed for balancing checkbooks or figuring restaurant tips. A new study just released by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a behavioral and social science research organization, echoes Pew’s findings. More than half of the students nearing graduation at four-year colleges lacked the literacy skills to handle complex tasks, such as analyzing arguments in newspaper editorials or understanding credit card offers. Students nearing graduation at two-year colleges scored even worse. Seventy-five percent of these students also did not have the basic skills. This AIR study was the first to target students closing in on graduation. The researchers utilized the same test as the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, the United States government's examination of English literacy among adults. Results of that government study, released in December, were similarly disappointing. The results reflected about five percent of U.S. adults are not literate. All of these studies raise serious questions about college curricula as well as the skills students possess when they arrive at college. We are not surprised. A major midwestern bank reported some years ago that they were testing all of their candidates for basic literacy and numeracy. Sixty-eight percent of their applicants failed this basic assessment. (Imagine the time saved from interviewing unqualified applicants.) All of these outcomes do not bode well for the United States’ ability to compete in global markets. Looking onto the future, we see more employers engaging college instructors and training professionals to fill in the gap---to up-skill their fresh grads with just-in-time support so that the employers will not be adversely affected. © 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." NEED HELP THINKING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE? Our futurists offer thought-provoking and penetrating insights, along with creative ideas to implement right away. Whether you're looking for a speaker or a consultant or a facilitator for your strategic planning retreat, The Herman Group can help you find a person for your needs, no matter what your topic. Call Joyce at 336-210-3548 to discuss your event. REDUCE COSTS BY LOWERING EMPLOYEE TURNOVER If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call. 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. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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