Preparing Today's Students for Tomorrow's Jobs in Metropolitan America

Conclusion

Conclusion Laura W. Perna Education is clearly critical to the economic status and well-being of individuals and our nation (Baum, Ma, and Payea 2010). In this volume, the chapters by Anthony Carnevale and colleagues as well as Thomas Bailey and Clive Belfield demonstrate that, on average, students have higher earnings when they complete additional levels of education, although the premium varies by major field. Bailey and Belfield also illustrate that the increase in earnings associated with higher levels of education is greater for individuals living in metropolitan than in non-metropolitan areas. While several authors acknowledge the many ways that society in general benefits from higher levels of education, the chapters in this volume also point to the particular benefits of increased educational attainment to metropolitan America. In light of the well-documented benefits of higher levels of educational attainment, however, the chapters in this volume also articulate the need to do more to align the educational qualifications of workers with the knowledge demands of jobs, especially in our nation’s metropolitan areas. Despite the presence of numerous colleges and universities, metropolitan areas are home to many individuals who have low levels of educational attainment. These individuals typically experience high rates of unemployment, have low incomes, and are disproportionately from racial/ethnic minority groups (Baum, Ma, and Payea 2010). Moreover, as Harry Holzer points out, average measures of educational attainment and employment often mask the disparity within a metropolitan area, particularly with regard to the availability of high-quality jobs and the extent to which residential segregation limits access of traditionally under-served populations to these high-quality jobs. Conclusion 261 In addition, as Carnevale and his colleagues argue in their chapter, the projected increase in the education requirements of new jobs underscores the growing need to improve the alignment of educational programs with the knowledge and skills required by employers. This volume offers useful insights into how to better achieve this goal. Together, the chapters in this volume inform understanding of the measurement and definition of the learning required by employers, the roles and contributions to workforce readiness of different educational sectors and providers, and the institutional practices and public policies that promote the educational preparation of today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs. Drawing from the chapters in this volume, this final chapter identifies recommendations for institutional leaders and public policymakers. The chapter also offers recommendations for future research that will further enhance knowledge of the institutional practices and public policies that most effectively promote the connection between education and employment in metropolitan America. Implications for Institutional Leaders and Public Policymakers As several authors of chapters in this volume note (Alan Ruby; Thomas Bailey and Clive Belfield), efforts to reform education to better address workforce needs are not new. Moreover, efforts to reform education and improve workforce readiness have historically been, and will continue to be, challenged by many forces. One challenge is that both the types of jobs available and the skills required to perform the available jobs are continually changing . As Ruby, Carnevale, Smith, and Strohl, and Bailey and Belfield describe, these changes have occurred in response to structural changes in the economy including the decline in the manufacturing industry and growth in the service industry, as well as changes in the organization of work, labor market specialization, and technology. In addition, reform efforts have been, and will continue to be, further challenged by constraints on the public financial resources available to support change. Reform efforts are also limited by the legacy of past failures. As several authors observe (Bridget O’Connor; Nancy Hoffman), many in the United States are skeptical about the value of new “career and technical education” programs because of the poor performance of previous vocational education 262 Perna programs. These traditional programs have a “history of doing the right things badly or just doing the wrong things,” as well as tracking disproportionate shares of low-income students and racial/ethnic minorities into lowwage jobs (see Bridget O’Connor’s chapter). Along the same lines, Nancy Hoffman stresses the progress that is required to produce a system of career and technical education in the United States that effectively prepares youth for “productive employment.” While acknowledging the challenges, together the chapters in this volume also point to several programs that hold promise for improving the alignment between education and work and better preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs. Several...