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The New Workplace and Lifelong Learning

This brief article examines the transformation in the American business environment and how this will affect the skill requirements of the workforce. New economic conditions have produced a heightened awareness of the significance of education and training in the productivity and competitiveness of companies. The author predicts likely changes to the structure of the education and training industry in response to new training demands. He predicts that companies will consolidate their workforces by offering education and training opportunities to all employees. In examining the changing role of education in this new environment, the author argues that there is still a discrepancy between the skill level of graduates and employer requirements. Schools will need to redevelop their curricula to reflect employer needs and worldwide standards. Traditional lines of demarcation between education and training will become blurred and new educational structures will emerge. Some examples are corporate universities serving the training needs of large corporations, the expansion of private proprietary schools linked to specific industries, and an expanded role for community colleges in the provision of lifelong learning opportunities and partnerships with employers to provide continuous vocational training to support regional economic development.