Tech Directions - May 2008 - (Page 8)

during a time when jobs have been created. Although the declines in the last five years are spread across age, gender, race/ethnic, educational levels, and household incomes, they have been larger for younger teens (ages 16–17) and for males. Also, in the last year, they hit poor teens of color harder than other subgroups. In 2007, for example, only 19 percent of low-income black or Hispanic teens were working, compared with half of affluent white teens. The sharp drop in teenage employment is due to several factors. Overall growth in the number of new wage and salary jobs since 2000 has been considerably lower than in the two previous decades. “Teens benefit disproportionately from strong and steady growth in payroll employment,” according to the center report, “as employers have to reach back further in their hiring queues to secure needed labor.” Teens also have faced greater competition from older people, single mothers with limited schooling, young adults who can’t find employment in a chosen profession, and new immigrants. The center report also disputes the contention by some analysts that teenagers have less interest in working. “[E]ven the conservative official estimates of open unemployment, hidden unemployment, and underemployment among teens in 2007 reveal a substantial pool of youth who either wished to work but were left jobless or were employed part time though they sought full-time jobs,” it says. The rise in school attendance actually has not caused higher teen unemployment, but, instead, “is partly if not primarily attributable to the depressed labor market conditions for teens.” Moreover, the lack of work experience means teenagers have fewer opportunities to learn the “soft skills” that employers want in new hires and have a rockier time making the transition into the workforce. Looking at the summer employment situation for teens, the Center has equally dismal predictions. Because the winter/spring employment picture is a good predictor of the teen summer employment rate, all indicators are that “the nation’s teen employment rate this summer will be headed for a new historical low in the absence of any comprehensive job creation strategies for youth.” The center calls for immediate government actions at several levels. First, the Department of Labor should require state and local Workforce Investment Boards to develop comprehensive strategies to place more teens in jobs in both the summer and school year, including job placement targets. Second, policy makers should provide employers with additional tax incentives to hire teenagers, especially in high-poverty areas. Finally, the reinstitution of the Summer Youth Employment program should be a part of any federal fiscal stimulus packages, followed by the creation of a year-round job creation program for teens. (“The Collapse of the National Job Market and the Case for an Immediate Youth Jobs Creation Program,” Andrew Sum, et al., Center for Labor Market Studies, Northeastern University.) Important Workforce Skills The business community is beginning to speak up about developing workforce skills that go beyond strict academics. For example, a statement representing an unusual partnership between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Center for American Progress (a liberal policy group), calls for “innovative educational practices and school models.” These might include youth apprenticeships and experiential learning in extended learning time. More recently, the Conference Board and Americans for the Arts, in collaboration with the American Association of School Administrators, found agreement on the need to foster creativity among students. However, employers and school superintendents who were surveyed for their report had a somewhat different take on creativity. Both groups agreed that creativity involves the ability to identify new patterns of behavior or new combinations of actions as well as the integration of knowledge across disciplines. Yet, employers rated problem identification and articulation as the most important aspects of creativity, while superintendents ranked problem solving highest. These differences, according to the Conference Board statement, “bolster the view that while schools teach students how to solve problems put before them, the business sector wants workers who can identify the problem in the first place.” Also, 70 percent of the superintendents believed employers wanted “creative thinkers” more than people with technical skills. Employers were evenly split. Among employers concerned with hiring creative people, 85 percent said they could not find the applicants they want. On the other hand, few of them offered activities/ training they identified as ones that would foster creativity. (“Ready to Innovate: Are Educators and Executives Aligned on the Creative Readiness of the U.S. Workforce?” www.conferenceboard.org) Magneto CoilCondenser Tester For testing magneto coils and condensers in small engines. Tests coils for open or shorted turns, insulation breakdown, etc. Also tests condenser-capacitors. $245.00 120 V $370.00 220V + S/H Growler Armature Tester Locates various electrical problems on many types of armatures, including those in high-output starters and generators. Easily finds defective armatures and windings. $385.00 120V & 220V + S/H TEL: 877-772-5464 FAX: 330-935-2391 EMAIL: INFO@4KING.COM VISIT US AT WWW.4KING.COM 8 techdirections ◆ MAY 2008 http://WWW.4KING.COM http://www.conferenceboard.org http://www.conferenceboard.org http://www.conferenceboard.org http://WWW.4KING.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Directions - May 2008

Tech Directions - May 2008 Contents Technically Speaking Direct from Washington The News Report Mastering Computers Technology's Past Technology Today Road to Success - Service Learning Enhances Tech Ed Experience Balsa Tower Walls Brave 'Big Buster' These Kids Are Really on the Ball - Inventors Competition Winners School Web Site of the Month Animator Career Exploration Tools Guide Index to Volume 67 More than Fun

Tech Directions - May 2008

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