Caught by Surprise

There is one conclusion you come to if you live long enough and are observant. That is that things change. This is true for some things that seem to be impervious to significant change.

It would surprise people today that are not senior citizens, that business did not always value or want college graduates.  Up until the middle of the last century, it was tradition that employees rose through the ranks and achieved tenure. The person that occupied the corner office likely started in the stock room and advanced over decades. Even a founder family member had to apprentice. Business believed that the way to get the best employees was to develop and acculturate them. They frowned on people that changed jobs or careers. They were considered not to be loyal. Loyalty was valued.

The biggest large diverse businesses at the time, such as AT&T, IBM and General Motors had their own employee education facilities. Their facilitates could rival some of the better universities. Remember the times. America was still a manufacturing behemoth and most any job was hands on. This skill development was not going to be acquired in a traditional classroom setting. Nor was the desired acculturation to the business.

The training at these business education facilities was specific to the needs of their jobs. It was a "best practices approach". Employees in the more technical areas amassed certification credits. However, there was also a gentlemen’s agreement amount these businesses that the credits were not accepted at another company. This locked the employees in to their company. 

What changed? Manufacturing picked up the moniker of "the rust belt". Manufacturing shifted "off shore" and facilities were idled. America in the 1980s inaugurated its shift to a service economy. Service economy jobs required far less skills training. What was required was basic competency in reading and writing. The businesses needed far less workers and could pay less. They shifted much of their core training needs to the traditional education system. The businesses were able to reduce their training expenses and be more profitable. The public picked up the tab. 

Many graduate schools have what is known as a "capstone" project. It is where a group of students goes to a business and craft and execute something in the business' interests. This is done under the guise of giving students real business experience. Most often is an opportunity for business to get something done for free. It is no accident you hear the cry in regards to education, "...give business what they want".  We have shifted from an education system developing analytical thinkers to providing task skills.

The shift to college educated workers caught a whole generation by surprise and disenfranchised them from a here-to-fore middle class life style with a secondary education.

I started off by saying the only thing certain is change. Will you be caught by surprise at change, by something today seemingly impervious to significant change?