IP: Re:: Short changing their future -- from across the pond

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

X-Sender: Savana Burke@10.0.0.20
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 09:23:52 +0100
To: farber@cis.upenn.edu
From: s.burke@wolff-olins.com (Savana Burke)
Subject: IP: Short changing their future


With reference to these comments:


>"My fear is that these kids who haven't finished will last about seven
>years on the job
market.  If they haven't learned to learn and can't go sideways into
management, what happens to them?"


Gosh, how awful for them! Don't tell me people will actually have to
develop themselves throughout their working lives!


>But the temptation for immediate rewards
>is great.  Santa Barbara multimedia lab director Guy Smith says: "Without
>wanting to sound hysterical, this is really changing the shape of education
>in a fundamental way.  You hear of kids leaving high school and making
>almost six figures.  Recently we brought in 30 computer information officers
>and asked them about entry-level skills.  I didn't hear the word 'degree'
>come up very often."  (New York Times 25 Jun 98)


Sounds almost like a return to apprenticeship programs, doesn't it? I agree
that some individuals will be able to go on into management, but everyone
is not capable of that. While it's currently fashionable to think that
everybody can and should attend university, is it really possible for all?
"Learning to learn" should occur much earlier in a person's development -
by the time they've gotten to university, it's often too late.


I've heard it said recently that what the market requires now are legions
of intelligent, imaginative, educated individuals willing to perform
complicated, mind-numbingly boring work. Perhaps many students will end up
"doing time" at this sort of job before re-assessing their situation and
returning to school. At least by that time they'll have the money to pay
for it.


Just a comment from across the pond.


Savana Burke


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