Ideate
- 1. PROBLEM STATEMENT We need schools to more closely match the real world job requirements because as a student with broad interests, within certain limits you can be motivated to pursue one or another.
- 2. IDEAS (1) Have a government body notified by Department of Labor create a database on each job ever held then schools can use it to tailor their courses. (2) Create a ‘de facto’ job description standard that everybody eventually uses and make it available to everybody (similar to a credit score) then schools can use it to tailor their courses. (3) Organize volunteer 'back to school' sessions for school graduates about two years after they graduate so they provide guidance to junior students on the skills they’ll need. (4) Eliminate school altogether and go back to apprenticeships. (5) Schools to teach a special course on their first year to show students the skills needed in the prospective job market at their expected graduation time. (6) Schools to teach a special course on their last year before graduation to get students to fine tune their skills to be more in touch with the current job market. (7) Get students to actually do one or more internships on their junior year. (8) Schools to match the number of seats available to study each degree to demand for that degree. (9) Have ‘college orientation’ mandatory classes in each high school senior year. (10) Let junior year students do visits to workplaces they’re interested in to see what they really need.
- 3. SELECTED IDEAS (5) Schools to teach a special course on their first year to show students the skills needed in the prospective job market at their expected graduation time. This allows students to focus during their degree in the areas that most closely match what they’ll need – on their own they’ll be able to select the classes they feel will help most. (9) Have ‘college orientation’ mandatory classes in each high school senior year. I think the primary selection of school/degree is done that early and orientation at that age is critical to avoid embarking in the wrong field altogether. (10) Let junior year students do visits to workplaces they’re interested in to see what they really need – Getting to see the day-to-day activities in a real workplace will be an eye-opener for many people and encourage them to either change their paths or adjust them to what they see.