Time is now to refocus on long-term goals

I find it extremely interesting that with the cry for more jobs, we continue to devalue our education system which is the lifeblood of a prepared workforce including K-12, higher ed and continuing ed.

I say “devalue” because we continue to reduce education funding, time and time again, while we watch the resources increase for compensation of efforts to mediate our failures to help individuals meet their skill potential. We already pay one way or the other. I continue to hear people complain about having to “support” those who cannot support themselves, many of whom do not have the skills to move into the jobs that do become available.

Well, we will not solve that problem by forcing reductions in teachers, increasing class sizes, increasing tuitions, reducing student loan opportunities, or cutting vital programs. Taking that path will continue to exacerbate the situation, creating more who are under-skilled and unqualified for those jobs that will be available to help our nation remain competitive in this challenging global market. Jobs, without the support of a qualified workforce that can step up to the challenge, are not going to bring us economic stability.

SPONSORED CONTENT

The many benefits of simple, coordinated healthcare

Kaiser Permanente combines health care and coverage in one connected system to maximize employee health and minimize employer costs.

We need more emphasis on building a foundation where all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential and engaging them with opportunities to contribute to a stronger economic future. We continue to dilute our effectiveness in workforce preparedness by being reactive to short-term issues rather than investing in our human capital for the long-term sustainability of our future. Our human capital is our nation’s main asset and it is time we recognized and treated each individual as such.

As adults, we become either assets or deficits to society. With adequate investments in individuals’ development and education, we can help them reach their full potential where they can become an asset and bring a positive return for our initial investment many times over during their lifetime.

Of those we fail on their path to full development potential, many will become a deficit and will continue to cost society significantly more, in many ways, over a longer period, maybe even their lifetime. The appropriate investment focus seems intuitive.

So I have to ask, why are our state and federal legislators continuing to take money from the places where they should be investing to promote self-sufficiency and human capital development to compensate for the shortfalls of our failure? What happens when we reach the point where we are spending all of our money to react to the poor decisions already made and have no money for proactively developing those desperately needed assets? It’s time to quit fighting over the pieces of sand and start worrying about the beach!

As I am writing this article, I am watching the potential for the federal government shut down over the inability to reach an agreement the budget. By the time you read it, we will all know how it was resolved, but what a travesty! Although we certainly promote the illusion of knowing what “collaboration” is, actions continue to speak louder than words.

If we would step back and look at the causes of the rising numbers in the high-risk, vulnerable population and find ways to develop the talent that is currently being wasted, we could reduce the burden, not by taking critical support services away, but by enabling more individuals to be self-sufficient and businesses to be more successful.

Right now we talk about the importance of workforce development. The eminent urgency to focus on the emerging workforce may not be recognized due to the glut of talent we have on the market, since the economic downturn has left many highly qualified individuals desperately looking for work. However, this is short term, and those that will be available for employment as the economy turns around (and we are all hopeful it will very soon) may not have the right skills needed to help ramp up to industry needs.

I know the answers are not easy, but I can also see that if we don’t quit quibbling over the short-term issues and begin focusing on the proactive, long-term goals, we will fail not only in our ability to create a qualified workforce, but we will fail in our ability to help all citizens become contributing members of our society who can make a livable wage and experience a decent quality of life.

Kathy Gilliland owns DK Innovative Solutions, a consulting company focused on strategic partnerships for workforce development. She can be reached at 970-493-7783.