Abstract
Providing new skills for workers to be able to secure employment in the twenty-first century is an acknowledged problem. In this slim volume, the editors have assembled a number of essays positing possible avenues for the development of such training. As the U.S. workforce continues to transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy, the need for such training becomes even more important.
These essays are particularly useful because they look at workforce development from different perspectives. They correctly note that vocational education is considered the poor stepchild of secondary education, leaving many students to enter the workforce untrained in the specific skills needed to succeed. An often overlooked source of such skills is the well-developed programs at community colleges, and the authors call for the expansion of such programs. Finally, in postsecondary education, they emphasize that certain competencies are needed, not merely academic work.
Once an individual enters the workforce, it becomes crucial for the employer to continue workforce development. However, it has been my experience that whenever times get lean, one of the first programs employers cut is training and education. While this is understandable in a way, as education brings long-term benefits at short-term costs, it is nevertheless foolhardy. In this regard, the authors emphasize the role of government in steering business toward such development.
Of particular interest to union activists is the chapter dealing with joint development of training. The positive aspects of such training include more worker-centered teaching and increased support from the rank and file for such training. They also point out two absolute requisites for success: final support and a sponsor at the highest level of the organization. All too often, either or both of these are missing, and the joint education for workplace development is unsuccessful.
The traditional model by which the United States had the most developed workforce in the global economy is no longer viable. A new one is required. As the authors note, this will not be done by management, with its eye on the short-term bottom line. It is only through the intervention of labor and government that such a plan can be developed. This is perhaps the most crucial issue facing the workforce in the twenty-first century, and the authors have provided a rich variety of possible solutions.