By Nicholas Wyman.
The nature of work is in transition as a consequence of globalization, new technologies and the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence. Young people are leaving our education systems, and these young people who are charged with educating are ill prepared to face the future of work.
Do you consider vocational education a unviable alternative to university or college? You are not alone. However, you need to think again. I would like to invite you to put aside your pre-conceived
beliefs about vocational education and training (VET) and let me explain how misconceptions about VET are hurting the next generation’s chances of a meaningful future at work.
We have all heard the old adage ‘perception is reality’, but when it comes to VET, nothing is further from the truth. Here’s my premise: Skills-based education gives young people the chance to get experience and gain confidence early. It can catapult them into steady jobs, a great pay packet and, more than likely, a future-proof career.
Have you ever thought or believed any of these common statements? Well, allow me to bust these myths.
Myth 1. Apprenticeships are old fashioned – they aren’t funky
Actually, they are. And they’re really coming into their own in major economies.
For example, in the US, after waning and being restricted to a narrow range of fields over the past few decades, apprenticeship programs are coming back in a big way. There are more than 505,000 people in the US currently enrolled as apprentices – the highest rate in eight years, and US apprenticeship programs are increasingly offering the entry key to careers in a vast array of growing fields such as IT, health care, hospitality and advanced manufacturing, to name a few.
Despite that, 8 of 10 people surveyed by the US National Association of Manufacturers said they would not encourage their own children to enter the manufacturing field.
Those same people said they view manufacturing as critical to the prosperity and security of the US (90% of those surveyed actually ranked manufacturing top of the list of important industries!).
The same ‘it’s essential work, but not for my kids’ dynamic exists in Australia. Various research shows parents overwhelming respect the importance of manufacturing as a national priority, but not when it comes to wanting their children to pursue a career in that sector. Go figure.
Meanwhile, among northern and central European countries, between 40 and 70 per cent of high-school students opt for vocational education. After completing three years of combined on-the-job and classroom learning, students graduate with a qualification that carries real weight in the labour market, and a pathway to even higher levels of education and earnings.
Read More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/59231d8ae4b0b28a33f62e54
By Nicholas Wyman
When a room full of passionate apprenticeship advocates met in Washington last week for the first day of the Apprenticeship Forward conference, the mood was understandably upbeat and optimistic.
Why? Because calls for the U.S. to expand apprenticeship programs seem to be gaining more traction daily. And overnight the news had come through that Congress’ omnibus budget compromise would again expand funding for apprenticeships, to $95 million over the next year.
Now more than ever, Americans need educational options and career pathways which are cost effective and oriented to delivering skilled careers and stable employment. That common ground was found to expand appropriations in the budget bill, and is a strong signal that interest in apprenticeships is not expendable.
I recently threw my support behind an audacious plan for the Trump Administration to adopt a nationwide target to hire five million apprenticeships in five years. Since then, a range of influential people and organizations, from Ivanka Trump to the Fed Chair, Janet Yellen, company CEO’s including Salesforce’s Marc Benioff to the National Skills Coalition, have come forth to endorse this proposal.
The five million target may have started as a “man on the moon” goal, however given these endorsements span so many points of our political compass, the cautious optimism of the apprenticeship advocates, employers and educators present was understandable.
Debates about how to address issues around next generation jobs, economic mobility, educational opportunity and college affordability were key themes of last year’s election cycle.
Apprenticeships and vocational/technical education and can play a key role in addressing each of these problems.
It’s graduation season, which means one thing: lots of unsolicited advice for grads. So, what can we make of this flood of insight? Well, some of it’s good. Some of it’s bad. Some of it’s downright ugly. And then there’s the stuff that’s quite spot-on, but seldom heard. Business Insider spoke with a number of career experts to get their insight. Here are the great pieces of advice that recent college grads rarely hear:
‘It’s okay to feel totally lost’
It’s okay to feel like college got you nowhere, says Nicholas Wyman, CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation and author of “Job U: How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.” If graduation’s got you feeling unprepared and adrift, channel that uncertainty into something productive. “Go out, experience life, see the world,” Wyman says. “Have a year off. That’s what my father, a professor, told me to do. Wyman says taking a version of a ‘gap year’ is a great way to explore opportunities outside a traditional classroom, gain self-knowledge, and, critically, get some practical, real-world experience.
Áine Cai, 10 May 2017
‘Job interviews are a piece of cake’
Understandably, plenty of recent grads are terrified over the prospect of applying for gigs and lining up job interviews. It’s a stressful process, especially if you’ve never done it before.
But sugarcoating reality and telling grads not to fret over job applications is not a good option.
“Job interviews are generally terrifying,” says Nicholas Wyman, CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Development and author of “Job U: How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.” “Practice makes perfect. Preparation is the key to a successful interview.”
Instead of giving empty reassurances, well-meaning friends and relatives can help grads by offering to practice the art of interviewing with them. And recent grads should channel their worry into studying up and thoroughly preparing for every interview.
“Practice with a family member or a friend to get comfortable with your responses,” Wyman says. “Become an expert. Read industry magazines, online news and blogs to keep up with developments in your field of interest. Knowing the latest trends will help set you apart from other candidates in an interview.”
‘College prepared you for everything’
This well-meaning attempt to boost a recent grad’s confidence can really backfire. Just because you have a diploma doesn’t mean you’re necessarily ready to go out and conquer the world. In fact, grads who lack work experience still have a lot to learn as they enter the workforce.
“Many college graduates are finishing their educations lacking in both practical work experience as well as in the soft skills needed to land a job, be part of and work on a team, and navigate the day to day rigors of a modern workplace,” Wyman says.
So, where can you learn these elusive skills?
“They can be learned in one place — a workplace,” Wyman says. “Get a job, preferably in your area of interest and start learning, and practicing, the skills employers need.”
Read up on more of the worst pieces of career advice – full article here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-advice-for-new-grads-2017-5//?r=AU&IR=T#go-back-to-school-1
Photo: Flickr/Samuel Mann
‘Job U: Find Your Path To A Successful Carer in a Tough Job Market’
by Nicholas Wyman
‘Job U – How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need‘ (US Edition) quickly shot to #1 on the Amazon Hot New Releases in Job Hunting and Career Guides. It has been awarded Best Business Careers book in the International Book Awards and won USA Best Book Awards, Business: Careers category.
Get ready to relearn everything you thought you knew about what a successful career path looks like.