2009: The Great Recession

Where Will You Be 10 Years From Now?

Few of us can disagree with the fact that the current, ongoing economic mess has turned the way work will be performed in the future on its head. To this end, workers—one, five, or 10 years from now—will not be able to simply rely on what they know and can do but rather whether or not they continue learning and are able to apply that newly-gained knowledge as means of survival. If history can be utilized as one predictor of the future, then we as a nation should not ignore the track record of Registered Apprenticeship (RA) as a proven method of supporting our workforce’s efforts to re-tool and up-skill. Accordingly, many of the joint labor-management (RA) programs I am familiar with have been focusing much of their attention on advancing and improving the technical and academic skills of their journey-workers over the past several years…long before the Great Recession hit! In addition, foreseeing that the new (workforce) world order would require a mix of skill sets, most of these same programs mentioned above implemented and offered college articulation agreements to their current apprentices to further instill and engrain the importance of lifelong learning. With today’s unending advances in technology, we must not sit idly by and wait for this malaise to pass in hopes that things will get better. As leaders, we are often faced with tough choices…this Administration needs to give more than lip service to RA as a vital economic recovery tool by promoting RA as an equal to other post-secondary options it often cites and funds! If so, in 10 years, maybe you will be one of those workers who can attest to the long-lasting, positive impact the ARRA had on your life not unlike those who came before us from the WPA and CCC during the Great Depression.