Mike Rowe has been to Idaho before to film his popular TV show, Dirty Jobs. This time, however, his purpose was very different. He was asked to speak for Ed Sessions (http://www.theedsessions.org/mike-rowe.php#mike-rowe.php). His topic would be the skills gap and education. Mike (Mr. Rowe sounds too formal for this guy) used humor, startling statistics and well-presented knowledge about this country's dysfunctional relationship with work. The audience left believing we "are in some way disconnected in a fundamental underlying way from the men and women who do the kinds of jobs that allow us to live the way we live." (M Rowe, 2012) We also believed, "Reconnecting with those people (trades) is the key to fixing our infrastructure and recalibrating our manufacturing commitments and closing the skills gap." Also key to reconnecting, education.
In Idaho, we pride ourselves on understanding work. Idaho is expected to create 505,000 new jobs by the year 2018. That's the good news. The bad news for Idaho is that 2/3 of those new jobs will require post-secondary education. We live in a state where only 1/3 of our students complete any kind of education program after high school (M Rowe, 2012). We need to reconnect work ethic with education. We also need to create a culture where all vocations are respected, every trade is cool. Then we will close the skills gap.
Give your kids the greatest gifts you can, teach them to work and to learn. Teach them to have a work ethic. Success is not equal to a dollar amount, but to the amount of work you put into something. Work should be a joy, not a grind.
Ensure your child is educated. Not all kids are going to achieve a four year degree, nor will they want to. But they will need something more than high school. Know what your child's passion is, what their strengths and weaknesses are. Expose them to trades they may be interested in. Fight for programs in our schools that prepare them for future vocations. This may be a PE class, advanced placement class, computer class, art class, welding class, etc. Parents and educators should prepare life-long learners and contributors to our society who, as Mike would say, "Know how to work hard and work smart." (M Rowe, 2012) Be involved, fight for the success of our children, and close the skills gap.
Rowe, M. (2012 February). Filling Idaho's Skills Gap. Speech presented at Ed Sessions, Boise, ID.
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