How Do We Design an Education to Employment System That Works?

According to a recent report from the McKinsey Center for Global Governance, 43 percent of employers say there aren't enough applicants with the knowledge and skills they need. At the same time, 75 million young people are unemployed. So, how do we solve this mismatch between workers' knowledge and skills, and employers' needs? To find the answer, the report's authors analyzed over 100 education-to-employment projects around the world and surveyed employers, education institutions, and young people in nine countries. They focused on discussing enrolling in postsecondary education, building skills, and finding a job. They found that there's a huge need for greater collaboration between employers and education institutions—employers talking to education providers about the kinds of skills they need and education providers ensuring students gain those skills. Out of the successful education-to-employment programs McKinsey reviewed, what worked best was when "education providers and employers actively step into one another's worlds."

Good Magazine, 12/10/2012