This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert March 24, 1999 The Case of the Unprepared Employees 283 days until January 1, 2000 Employers are fed up with hiring applicants who are not equipped to do the job for which they were employed. Technology and specialized training aside, a shocking proportion of employees lack sufficient strength and depth in basic skills. Their capacity to read, understand, calculate, communicate—in writing and orally, and solve problems is frustratingly below what employers need . . . and expect. Where's the problem? The students? The schools? The teachers? The public? All of the above. As the need for greater knowledge and proficiency has increased, the educational levels have dropped. School administrators have sought to provide a wide range of subjects to students, rather than requiring sufficient depth in any of the areas of concentration. Where's the breaking point? What will trigger a change in our educational systems? Employers. Plain and simple, employers will begin demanding higher levels of performance from the schools that are expected to produce high school and college graduates who can get the job done. Unfortunately, the change will not come overnight. It will take time . . . too much time. The upgrading process will have to be accelerated. Students and parents will join the campaign to raise standards and performance in our public schools. Some parents will resist the effort—protecting their precious child(ren) from all that extra work. Employers will push the process by requiring school transcripts of recent graduates. It works. Companies like Eastman have influenced curricula and enrollment in upper-level science and math classes, while reducing the failure rate of their entry level employees. Through the efforts of groups like the National Alliance of Business, employers will drive the educational system to move in two significant directions: raising performance in the schools and providing remedial education for people already in the workforce. Thousands of people who are already employed are in serious need of education for the basics—reading, writing, math, and problem-solving. Employers can't handle the load—not alone. Even all the in-house and contract trainers can't do it all. Schools will play an expanded role in the future. And they're not ready. © 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." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. 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. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. 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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