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‘How To Earn Six Figures Without A Four-Year Degree’ – 1A, Online

Source: http://the1a.org/shows/2017-06-12/how-to-earn-six-figures-without-a-four-year-degree

By 2025, two million jobs will be unfilled because U.S. companies won’t be able to find the skilled labor they need.
Many of these jobs provide a middle-class salary — some pay six figures annually — and don’t require a four-year-degree.

How to get one of these jobs? Apprenticeships. This age-old practice with origins in medieval times is now gaining traction again in the United States. Economists and corporate leaders say apprenticeships can lead to interesting and stable careers, ranging from robotics and mechanical design to medical sciences and even high-end gourmet cuisine — all without college debt. We’ll explore how to find an apprenticeship, the pros and cons and common misunderstandings.

Image Caption: An instructor at the Siemens training center in Berlin, Germany with apprentices. In Germany, apprenticeship training is much more common than in the United States. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images) misunderstandings.

What Is An Apprenticeship And How To Get One
By Nicholas Wyman, CEO, Institute for Wokplace Skills and Innovation; author of “Job U: How To Find Wealth And Success By Developing The Skills Companies Actually Need”
How does an apprenticeship typically work?
An apprenticeship is a structured accreditation program that provides participants with the building blocks to master a specific occupational area and learn hands-on skills under the direct supervision of a skilled expert. It is important to note that because apprenticeships are a nascent industry in the United States, they are often confused with internships. In fact, at present, the line is very fine between the two. Briefly, internships are generally short-term; involve little or no pay; and are inconsistent across the board concerning rigor, degree of responsibility and supervision.
What types of roles and industries do you find apprenticeships in?
Today’s apprenticeship programs are becoming more sophisticated and progressive and found in a variety of modern fields from engineering and sales and marketing to computer programming and health care. Many of the knowledge-economy jobs available in the United States can be effectively learned through apprenticeship.
When should you consider taking on an apprenticeship?
Whether currently unemployed, unhappily employed, or simply wishing to experience the joys of learning a new skill through hands-on work, it’s time to seek out apprenticeship programs in your area. Apprenticeships are not just for young people. They are for people of all ages and all stages of life.

Where do you find an apprenticeship?
Although the formal apprenticeship concept is rapidly gaining traction in the United States, no central site exists to access opportunities. However, there are several useful places to take the next step.

Source: http://the1a.org/shows/2017-06-12/how-to-earn-six-figures-without-a-four-year-degree

‘Reinventing High School – Aquiring Skills for the Technological Revolution’ – CIO Advisor, Publication

By Nicholas Wyman.

The nature of work is in transition as a consequence of globalization, new technologies and the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence. Young people are leaving our education systems, and these young people who are charged with educating are ill prepared to face the future of work.

‘Is Vocational Education an Unviable Alternative to University or College?’ – HuffPost, Online

Do you consider vocational education a unviable alternative to university or college? You are not alone. However, you need to think again. I would like to invite you to put aside your pre-conceived

beliefs about vocational education and training (VET) and let me explain how misconceptions about VET are hurting the next generation’s chances of a meaningful future at work.

We have all heard the old adage ‘perception is reality’, but when it comes to VET, nothing is further from the truth. Here’s my premise: Skills-based education gives young people the chance to get experience and gain confidence early. It can catapult them into steady jobs, a great pay packet and, more than likely, a future-proof career.

Have you ever thought or believed any of these common statements? Well, allow me to bust these myths.

Myth 1. Apprenticeships are old fashioned – they aren’t funky

Actually, they are. And they’re really coming into their own in major economies.

For example, in the US, after waning and being restricted to a narrow range of fields over the past few decades, apprenticeship programs are coming back in a big way. There are more than 505,000 people in the US currently enrolled as apprentices – the highest rate in eight years, and US apprenticeship programs are increasingly offering the entry key to careers in a vast array of growing fields such as IT, health care, hospitality and advanced manufacturing, to name a few.

Despite that, 8 of 10 people surveyed by the US National Association of Manufacturers said they would not encourage their own children to enter the manufacturing field.

Those same people said they view manufacturing as critical to the prosperity and security of the US (90% of those surveyed actually ranked manufacturing top of the list of important industries!).

The same ‘it’s essential work, but not for my kids’ dynamic exists in Australia. Various research shows parents overwhelming respect the importance of manufacturing as a national priority, but not when it comes to wanting their children to pursue a career in that sector. Go figure.

Meanwhile, among northern and central European countries, between 40 and 70 per cent of high-school students opt for vocational education. After completing three years of combined on-the-job and classroom learning, students graduate with a qualification that carries real weight in the labour market, and a pathway to even higher levels of education and earnings.

’11 of the worst pieces of career advice for recent grads’- Business Insider, Online

Áine Cai, 10 May 2017

‘Job interviews are a piece of cake’

Understandably, plenty of recent grads are terrified over the prospect of applying for gigs and lining up job interviews. It’s a stressful process, especially if you’ve never done it before.

But sugarcoating reality and telling grads not to fret over job applications is not a good option.

“Job interviews are generally terrifying,” says Nicholas Wyman, CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Development and author of “Job U: How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.” “Practice makes perfect. Preparation is the key to a successful interview.”

Instead of giving empty reassurances, well-meaning friends and relatives can help grads by offering to practice the art of interviewing with them. And recent grads should channel their worry into studying up and thoroughly preparing for every interview.

“Practice with a family member or a friend to get comfortable with your responses,” Wyman says. “Become an expert. Read industry magazines, online news and blogs to keep up with developments in your field of interest. Knowing the latest trends will help set you apart from other candidates in an interview.”

‘College prepared you for everything’

This well-meaning attempt to boost a recent grad’s confidence can really backfire. Just because you have a diploma doesn’t mean you’re necessarily ready to go out and conquer the world. In fact, grads who lack work experience still have a lot to learn as they enter the workforce.

“Many college graduates are finishing their educations lacking in both practical work experience as well as in the soft skills needed to land a job, be part of and work on a team, and navigate the day to day rigors of a modern workplace,” Wyman says.

So, where can you learn these elusive skills?

“They can be learned in one place — a workplace,” Wyman says. “Get a job, preferably in your area of interest and start learning, and practicing, the skills employers need.”

Read up on more of the worst pieces of career advice – full article here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-advice-for-new-grads-2017-5//?r=AU&IR=T#go-back-to-school-1
Photo: Flickr/Samuel Mann

‘It’s Time For America To Expand Modern Apprenticeship’ – Forbes, Online

Caption: Modern apprenticeships are available for IT Generalists who develop skills in areas such as maintaining internal networks, supporting network functions and providing help desk support.

By Nicholas Wyman, May 5, 2017

When a room full of passionate apprenticeship advocates met in Washington yesterday for the first day of the Apprenticeship Forward conference, the mood was understandably upbeat and optimistic.

Why? Because calls for the U.S. to expand apprenticeship programs seem to be gaining more traction daily. And overnight the news had come through that Congress’ omnibus budget compromise would again expand funding for apprenticeships, to $95 million over the next year.

Now more than ever, Americans need educational options and career pathways which are cost effective and oriented to delivering skilled careers and stable employment. That common ground was found to expand appropriations in the budget bill, is a strong signal that interest in apprenticeships is not expendable.

This column recently threw its support behind an audacious plan for the Trump Administration to adopt a nation wide target to hire five million apprenticeships in five years. Since then, a range of influential people and organisations, from Ivanka Trump to the Fed Chair, Janet Yellen, Company CEO’s including Sales Force Marc Benioff to the National Skills Coalition, have come forth to endorse this proposal.

The five million target may have started as a “man on the moon” goal, however given these endorsements span so many points of our political compass, the cautious optimism of the apprenticeship advocates, employers and educators present was understandable.

Debates about how to address issues around next generation jobs, economic mobility, educational opportunity and college affordability were key themes of last year’s election cycle.

Apprenticeships and vocational/technical education and can play a key role in addressing each of these problems.

The current abiding narrative of Washington, D.C. is of hostility and corrosive political division. However when it comes to career and technical education issues, congressional consensus seems to be the norm. Even at the vicious height of last year’s election campaign, Republicans and Democrats united to support the $1.1 billion Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, (also known as the Perkins Reauthorization Bill) which sailed through the House with a 405-to-5 vote.

Unfortunately it was not considered by the Senate before the end of the 114th congress. However, when an equivalent reauthorization bill was introduced in the House this week, Chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) was quick to state that “Strengthening career and technical education continues to a leading priority for our committee” and that she looked forward to “advancing this important bipartisan proposal in the coming weeks” with hopes to get it done this year.

So is a target of five million U.S. apprentices in five years achievable? Obviously, the level of support in Congress and commitment amongst the Trump’s administration and how it translates into funding and other legislative measures will be crucial.

There will be no shortage of conventional analysis from naysayers who will tell you its impossible to achieve, and would require the greatest expansion of apprenticeship programs in US history, and could create a significant start-up burden on employers and the Department of Labor. However, the more one considers the question, the more the scale of the challenge seems achievable.

True, reaching a five million target it would involve a 10-fold increase in our current apprenticeship enrollment of 500,000. But we are nation of over 320 million! As Andy Van Kleunan from National Skills Coalition explained to me: “Five million may seem like a lot, but its only one working apprenticeship for every four college students.”

Also, consider that right now there are six million vacant positions across America which remain open unfilled due to our nation’s endemic skills gap, and that the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts another 3.4 million manufacturing jobs (i.e. skilled workers) will be needed over the next decade.

As few as five years ago, a goal of five creating million apprenticeships would have been met with a mix of confusion and quiet laughter. Many people would not have even known what an apprenticeship is, exactly, much less how it can address so many of the economic and educational challenges of this time. But today, it feels like a stretch goal; hard, yes – impossible, no.

Simply fixing this supply side skills gap through high quality apprenticeship programs could help employers meet their immediate workforce needs whilst preparing the next generation of productive workers, and would get us pretty close to the target.

Finally, there is a current, live case study example of what can be achieved in through apprenticeships with genuine top-down government commitment: the United Kingdom.

In 2010, the U.K.’s Conservative Government introduced a national target of two million apprenticeships by 2015. It was dismissed by many as political puffery at the time, however the target was met with a year to spare. This fantastic result was achieved through a combination of political commitment, wholesale industry engagement and expanding of the professions offering apprenticeship pathways to include future-focused and growing fields like cybersecurity and carbon composite technicians.

In 2016, the U.K. Government subsequently announced a target of an additional three million apprenticeships by 2020, which it is currently on track to meet. Apprenticeship enrollments are up 82%, to 509,000, over pre-target announcement levels.

The U.K. offers an enviable example of what is possible when the ship of state is fueled and focused: the U.S. and U.K. currently have near identical apprenticeship enrollments, but the U.S. population is roughly five time the U.K.’s. So, on my back of the envelope math, the U.K.’s two million achievement would be the equivalent of a U.S. ten million target.

Still think five million is a pipe dream?

U.S. industry will face a range of significant challenges in the coming decade: automation and Industry 4.0, skills shedding from the retirements of baby boomers and increased global competition in low complexity manufacturing to name a few.

If we are to build the workforce of tomorrow and remain competitive, we must stop allowing our trade competitors to steal a march up the value chain, grasp the potential of apprenticeship programs and leverage the manufacturing multiplier effect to unleash a new economy wide surge in productivity.

Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholaswyman/2017/05/05/apprenticeship/2/#6eb4c8701c8e

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