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The Gap Between School and Employment

By Krystal Yang

We’ve heard the classic saying before: elementary school prepares you for middle school, middle school prepares you for high school, high school prepares you for college, and college prepares you for employment. Or does it?

In a recent 2017 study conducted by Gallup polls, there is a growing skill gap between college graduates and employees, especially in the data management field. By 2020, the number of job postings for data science and analytics skills will reach over 2.5 million, yet many employers worry that the employee poll will not be able to fulfill these available positions. According to the Gallup poll, businesses believe that only twenty three percent of college graduates possess necessary data science and analytics skills, and seventy-nine percent of surveyed CEOs are worried that this gap will generate negative consequences. The researchers also asserted that this gap will have “substantial implications for the U.S. economy,” such as increased unemployment and decreased productivity.

Luckily, there are steps that college students and businesses can take to close the gap, or at least to prevent it from widening. The latter should be bold with their selections; taking risks, although having a chance of failure, will ultimately help college graduates who lack the “ideal” resume, and ensure the best possibilities of employment for everyone. Businesses should also prioritize lifelong learning, because college students can continue learning even outside of school. Thus, even seemingly unqualified students can obtain jobs. Similarly, students should try to network more during their higher education, which can help them enter the job market more easily.

Despite the dangers that this study has alluded to, it is refreshing to know that there are methods we can all take to ensure not long-time sustainability for both college students and new employees.
Link to the article and study: https://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2017-04-03/study-most-students-graduate-with-mediocre-skills-for-the-workplace

About Katherine Han

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