Bosses believe your work skills will soon be useless

[Tugg Speedman]

Bosses believe your work skills will soon be useless
The Washington Post
By Danielle Paquette May 3 at 10:00 AM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/05/03/what-are-humans-good-for-bosses-worry-about-the-workforce-of-tomorrow/?utm_term=.bd7692bae1b9

Bosses believe your work skills will soon be useless

Nearly a third of business leaders and technology analysts express “no confidence” that education and job training in the United States will evolve rapidly enough to match the next decade’s labor market demands, a new report from the Pew Research Center finds.

About 30 percent of the executives, hiring managers, college professors and automation researchers who responded to the Pew survey felt future prospects looked bleak, anticipating that firms would encounter more trouble finding workers with their desired skill sets over the next decade.

"“Seriously? You’re asking about the workforce of the future?” added another respondent, a science editor who asked to stay anonymous. “As if there’s going to be one?”"

[warriorchick]

Part of the problem is that no one can accurately predict what skills are going to be needed in the lead time that is necessary to develop the training.

I graduated from college in 1984 with a degree in accounting.  Spreadsheet software wasn't even really a thing at the time. Hell, desktop computers weren't even really a thing.  We went out to audits with a ten-key printing calculator and a crapload of yellow seven-column paper.  I had to develop skills as the technology involved.

I have a Facebook friend who got all ranty that the government should be training people for the "jobs of the future".  I responded, "Who knows what those jobs are going to be?  If the government did that in the mid-80's, they would have churned out a bunch of Walkman repair technicians and Blockbuster store managers."

[tower912]

If you keep telling people to sell Apple, can you blame them?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This is news?

[mu03eng]

This is news?

Nope, Heisey just doesn't have anyone to translate for him what the sharing economy does to workplace environment and availability of skill sets.

Not far is the day where most engineers or software programmers or whatever technical role you want will work for themselves and be contracted independently. The world isn't pumping out enough talent in the right fields to support the economy of the future so we're going to have to leverage resources that do exist.

We're coming into a sellers market for talented employees.

[GGGG]

Part of the problem is that no one can accurately predict what skills are going to be needed in the lead time that is necessary to develop the training.

I graduated from college in 1984 with a degree in accounting.  Spreadsheet software wasn't even really a thing at the time. Hell, desktop computers weren't even really a thing.  We went out to audits with a ten-key printing calculator and a crapload of yellow seven-column paper.  I had to develop skills as the technology involved.

I have a Facebook friend who got all ranty that the government should be training people for the "jobs of the future".  I responded, "Who knows what those jobs are going to be?  If the government did that in the mid-80's, they would have churned out a bunch of Walkman repair technicians and Blockbuster store managers."

Exactly.  It's not as though when people enter the workforce their skill sets stop evolving and they don't have any adaptability.  The basics of how I do my job is the same, but the way the job is done is completely different.  I didn't need a college class to teach me that.

[Tugg Speedman]

Nope, Heisey just doesn't have anyone to translate for him what the sharing economy does to workplace environment and availability of skill sets.

Not far is the day where most engineers or software programmers or whatever technical role you want will work for themselves and be contracted independently. The world isn't pumping out enough talent in the right fields to support the economy of the future so we're going to have to leverage resources that do exist.

We're coming into a sellers market for talented employees.

Already here ... Google Peter Diamondis and X-Prizes.  The new way R&D will be done.

[forgetful]

Already here ... Google Peter Diamondis and X-Prizes.  The new way R&D will be done.

Yeah...uh, no.  The X-prizes although cool, are not replacing anything.  Right now the amount of money one can win through the prizes can't cover R&D for the technologies they are developing.  Given that even the winning team losses money it is not a good system going forward.  No one will switch to a system where the people doing innovation are always losing money.  Not sustainable.

Right now it is a beauty pageant, to facilitate angel investing to small businesses, but is not a global model that can be remotely followed. 

In terms of people not having the qualifications to do their work.  Of course, that is well known, has been well know for at least a decade...this is news???  But the general workers are not the problem, there is general and widespread incompetence amongst management/leaders that is causing the biggest issues. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This one is one of those things that I think has always been true but seems new to people because now we have easier access to information. Similar to how crime rates have gone down but we think they've gone up because of the constant news coverage.

One of my favorite examples of this is how much sex teenagers are having. I remember growing up hearing about how kids were having more sex and younger than ever before. I believed it too, included that belief in some of my work.  But the reality is that millenials are the biggest prudes of the generations!

[Jockey]

Not far is the day where most engineers or software programmers or whatever technical role you want will work for themselves and be contracted independently. The world isn't pumping out enough talent in the right fields to support the economy of the future so we're going to have to leverage resources that do exist.

We're coming into a sellers market for talented employees.

Don't you think this is always the case? As Chick mentioned, we don't know what the jobs of the future will be until the future arrives.

When I got a Computer technician degree back in the 90's, I had my pick of dozens of jobs locally. Now someone with a similar degree most likely has to settle for an internship and then hope to get lucky.

I think it has always been as seller's market for talented employees.

[mu03eng]

Don't you think this is always the case? As Chick mentioned, we don't know what the jobs of the future will be until the future arrives.

When I got a Computer technician degree back in the 90's, I had my pick of dozens of jobs locally. Now someone with a similar degree most likely has to settle for an internship and then hope to get lucky.

I think it has always been as seller's market for talented employees.

As TAMU points out, there could be a recency bias here.....but I do think there is greater misalignment between educational levels and job opportunities than there have been in the past. Technology is changing faster than it ever has and all levels of education are not keeping up with that rate of change.

[Jockey]

As TAMU points out, there could be a recency bias here.....but I do think there is greater misalignment between educational levels and job opportunities than there have been in the past. Technology is changing faster than it ever has and all levels of education are not keeping up with that rate of change.

Agreed. Same process as always - at least since the Industrial revolution. It's just occurring at a much faster pace.

[Tugg Speedman]

Agreed. Same process as always - at least since the Industrial revolution. It's just occurring at a much faster pace.

Isn't that the point ... the speed?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Isn't that the point ... the speed?

What's the adoption curve on the "human transporter"?

https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/09/27/from-hype-to-disaster-segways-timeline/

[muwarrior69]

I am 70 years old, retired for 9 years, and I still have recruiters calling me. Forty years of experience in clinical R&D. I keep telling them to give a younger person an opportunity and give them a chance to acquire the skill sets you desire. To find someone ready to hit the road running is a myth. Sometimes it is better just to walk.

[mu03eng]

I am 70 years old, retired for 9 years, and I still have recruiters calling me. Forty years of experience in clinical R&D. I keep telling them to give a younger person an opportunity and give them a chance to acquire the skill sets you desire. To find someone ready to hit the road running is a myth. Sometimes it is better just to walk.

I think it's more about management not wanting to adjust to what/how the younger generation wants to work than a reluctance to get them experience. I'm sure there is some of the "I just want someone who knows what they are doing" but a fair amount the discord in the workplace, especially white collar, is the changing paradigm of how employees do their jobs and their expectations for management.

[muwarrior69]

I think it's more about management not wanting to adjust to what/how the younger generation wants to work than a reluctance to get them experience. I'm sure there is some of the "I just want someone who knows what they are doing" but a fair amount the discord in the workplace, especially white collar, is the changing paradigm of how employees do their jobs and their expectations for management.

I have been out of the work force for a while now. Not sure what you mean about "how" people want to work.

[warriorchick]

I have been out of the work force for a while now. Not sure what you mean about "how" people want to work.

It's been well documented, that among other traits, millennials as a group are more likely to job-hop than boomers. They also value time off over more pay.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I have been out of the work force for a while now. Not sure what you mean about "how" people want to work.

What chick said. Plus millenials learn differently. They ask a ton of questions and expect you to give them the answers. They have short attention spans but lots of creativity.  They value ownership of projects and tasks. Their need for recognition and feeling valued is higher. They value context in decisions being made.

[muwarrior69]

It's been well documented, that among other traits, millennials as a group are more likely to job-hop than boomers. They also value time off over more pay.

I worked at one company for 20 years before I was down sized (it went out of bussiness). My wife worked at her company for 35 years. I think back in our day loyalty ran both ways. Today not so much? Perhaps my assumption in incorrect, but could it be that millennials sense that?

[warriorchick]

I worked at one company for 20 years before I was down sized (it went out of bussiness). My wife worked at her company for 35 years. I think back in our day loyalty ran both ways. Today not so much? Perhaps my assumption in incorrect, but could it be that millennials sense that?

I think that is part of it.  The other part is that millennials really don't believe in "paying your dues" when it comes to promotions and the like.  If they start one job and see a better opportunity at another company a year later (and at another place a year after that), they have no reservations about jumping ship.

[mu03eng]

I think that is part of it.  The other part is that millennials really don't believe in "paying your dues" when it comes to promotions and the like.  If they start one job and see a better opportunity at another company a year later (and at another place a year after that), they have no reservations about jumping ship.

Agreed, it's like extreme meritocracy

[muwarrior69]

What chick said. Plus millenials learn differently. They ask a ton of questions and expect you to give them the answers. They have short attention spans but lots of creativity.  They value ownership of projects and tasks. Their need for recognition and feeling valued is higher. They value context in decisions being made.

Is that true across all disciplines? Are they asking the questions and expecting the answers because they don't know the answer or are they just trying to avoid making mistakes. I know in the STEM fields making mistakes is how you gain knowledge and finding the answer on your own builds understanding as well as confidence in mastering the methods to achieve your goals.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Is that true across all disciplines? Are they asking the questions and expecting the answers because they don't know the answer or are they just trying to avoid making mistakes. I know in the STEM fields making mistakes is how you gain knowledge and finding the answer on your own builds understanding as well as confidence in mastering the methods to achieve your goals.

My understanding is that its a byproduct of how primary and secondary education is being taught now. Students are encouraged to ask questions when they don't know something and the teachers are expected to give them the answers rather than making the student figure it out for themselves. Testing has become more about regurgitating memorized information than using critical thinking to determine the correct answer.

I agree with you that making mistakes and finding answers on your own is how you should learn and build understanding. But that's not how millennials are being taught. As an example, you may notice on this site that some of the younger posters will often ask questions that could easily be answered by a quick google search. I'm a millennial myself, but the younger millennial and igen students that I work with drive me crazy with this. Its hard to balance my response because I want to challenge them to critically think but I also want them to feel comfortable coming to me with questions if they truly are stuck.

[mu03eng]

My understanding is that its a byproduct of how primary and secondary education is being taught now. Students are encouraged to ask questions when they don't know something and the teachers are expected to give them the answers rather than making the student figure it out for themselves. Testing has become more about regurgitating memorized information than using critical thinking to determine the correct answer.

I agree with you that making mistakes and finding answers on your own is how you should learn and build understanding. But that's not how millennials are being taught. As an example, you may notice on this site that some of the younger posters will often ask questions that could easily be answered by a quick google search. I'm a millennial myself, but the younger millennial and igen students that I work with drive me crazy with this. Its hard to balance my response because I want to challenge them to critically think but I also want them to feel comfortable coming to me with questions if they truly are stuck.

I agree with this analysis. The single biggest flaw in younger gen millenials is a fear of ambiguity.