Knowledge Worker Shortage Becoming Huge

The knowledge worker shortage is big, and will get bigger.

By 2015 we will have a shortage of 14 million knowledge workers, and society will be desperate for college educated professionals.

It starts with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) but it extends to just about every occupation and field where a four year college degree is required.

In Washington, DC, recently for a big education meeting, no one was talking "knowledge workers." The silence was deafening, and depressing.  Even our government, business and education leaders have no clue as to the value and shortage of knowledge workers.  In fact, they are holding down education levels, pretending people can make a good living, and our society can be economically prosperous, with workers with a two year college degree. No way.  We need our children to have a four year undergraduate degree.

Comments

[Avery Otto]

Although Evan Williams, one of the founders of Twitter doesn't have a college degree he certainly isn't a "norm." Smart action, intelligence in action is a 2.0 requirement. Here is an article I recently ran across about bringing home to the United States more software jobs using the outsourcing model. The post can be found at:http://www.dynamicalsoftware.com/smartOutsourcing.pdf

[Deb Burdick-Hinton]

I am a big fan of your book and this site. Thanks so much for all the great insight. This is the first comment, however, that I do not agree with. I agree that EVERYONE needs postsecondary training, but disagree that the most valuable training would necessarily include a traditional four year degree. I think there are a lot more relevant, up to date training programs from Vocational Technical training centers, Apprenticeship Training organizations. An Industry recognized, approved and endorsed certificate is a much better guarantee of placement in a high paying job that a general four year degree, in many cases. There are so many outdated four year degrees out there and too many college graduates who are not using their degrees. Many universities offer excellent programs, which lead to jobs upon completion but it takes the university so long to change and upgrade. A 4-year degree got me to where I want to be and I value my education, although if I would have sifted out all the "fluff" all the courses that really prepared me for my profession could have definitely been completed in a year or two, combined with some on the job training/internship. I think this is a necessary shift. With so much "knowledge" at our finger tips, we really do not need to pay a boat load of money or go into serious debt for knowledge. I encourage you to consider the value of all types of education outside of the traditional mold. Today's kids do not have the patience for this mold and in some cases it limits their potential. I think promoting continuing your education beyond HS is the message we need to get out there. Thanks for the great thoughts!