[NLA] Skills Gap report

[mlcarver@nslsilus.org]

I also think a large part of the skills gap perceived by HR & CEO/COO types equates knowledge of English (native and non-native) with literacy.  If we don't define literacy the same way, we aren't looking at the same skills gap. Employers want bodies who can follow orders with a minimum of communications errors.  My observation has been that those of us in literacy prefer to help people improve their reading and life skills to help them in more areas than just work.  When employers realize the work skills gap is also a life skills gap, they will (hopefully) see the need to put more money into literacy to improve their potential employee pool. (I can dream!)
Mary Lynn Carver
Lake County Adult Learning Connection
Waukegan, IL
mlcarver at nslsilus.org

Original Message:
-----------------
From: M C Smith mcsmith at niu.edu
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 11:44:13 -0600
To: nla at lists.literacytent.org
Subject: [NLA] Skills Gap report


Another point which Tom Sticht did not mention, but is worthwhile to note 
regarding the validity of the Skills Gap report: These surveys are almost 
always completed either by the company's HR director or the CEO/COO or a 
close underling. The responses are often simply these individuals' 
impressions of the characteristics of their workforce--almost always based 
on inadequate data. How many HR directors or CEOs spend any time directly 
observing workers on the shop floor? Even shop supervisors may have 
inadequate or incomplete information regarding the skills (literacy or 
otherwise) or the workers whom they supervise. Many manufacturing jobs, for 
example, require little "literacy" in the sense that the average layperson 
thinks of it--reading and writing and, maybe, a bit of math. So, 
supervisors and managers have little opportunity to witness what their 
employees are capable of doing. Another point--many companies across the US 
have terminated their workplace literacy and basic skills programs for 
employees, suggesting either that there is no "skills gap" or these 
companies are simply not putting their money where their mouth is, to quote 
my old Uncle Benny.

M Cecil Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Educational Psychology
Northern Illinois University
mcsmith at niu.edu

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