Future Workforce is Ill-prepared to Fill Shoes of Retiring Boomers, Survey Finds

As the Baby Boom generation slowly exits the U.S. workplace, a new survey of leaders from a consortium of business research organizations finds the incoming generation sorely lacking in much needed workplace skills–both basic academic and more advanced "applied" skills, according to a report released October 2. The report is based on an detailed survey of 431 HR officials that was conducted in April and May 2006 by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

"The future workforce is here, and it is ill-prepared," concludes the report. The findings reflect employers’ growing frustrations over the preparedness of new entrants to the workforce. Employers expect young people to arrive with a core set of basic knowledge and the ability to apply their skills in the workplace and the reality is not matching the expectation.


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Ira S Wolfe

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  1. pat r January 7, 2007 at 9:57 am -

    Employers will find numerous opportunities to empower the workforce they have, and the reduced pressure of competition for jobs left by retiring boomers will enrich the workplace immeasurably.
    This prediction is a result of recognition of how much stress was brought to the workplace by natural competition of a period where human density inevitably causes increased competition. For the future workforce, and employers, it will be a time to exhale, recalculate the value of employees, and show appreciation and loyalty to each other that has not been available for a generation!