“There is a mismatch between the types of skills employers are looking for in job candidates and the kinds of employees that educational systems are producing.  It must be corrected, because it is one of the reasons for the high U.S. unemployment rate even as employers claim that they are struggling to find workers. . . . We do need to do a better job at providing curriculum that’s more adaptable to what is happening on the floor of the assembly line or manufacturing unit or the lab. . . . Our nation’s educational and workforce systems largely operate in isolation from one another.”  National Journal policy summit, July 12, 2011, SHRM.    Siemen’s Senior Director of Talent Acquisition, Mike Brown, spoke of the need to transfer knowledge in preparation for when older workers retire.  His organization established a future retiree network aimed at encouraging young employees to mentor older employees and older employees to mentor younger ones.  Brown noted many people who respond to his organization’s job postings do not have the right skill set.   Education reform is critical if the U.S. is going to regain its position of exceptionalism in the world market.  Not all students need to be prepped for college.  Our education system should provide pathways for all levels and types of learners to meet the myriad of skills needed to produce products and services for world competition.   My next post will publish the research data showing the correlation between teacher pay and student performance.  You’ll be surprised what the research tells us.