Tomorrow’s Careers

What Career Will You Choose?

The top 10 careers as rated on CNNMoney.com are:

1) Software Engineer

2) College Professor

3) Financial Advisor

4) Human Resource Manager

5) Physician’s Assistant

6) Market Research Analyst

7) Computer/Information Technology Analyst

8) Real Estate Appraiser

9) Pharmacist

10) Psychologist

Given the emphasis on career re-training following plant closings or downsizing, what career from the list above do you suppose a person who lost their job in manufacturing could achieve? With few exceptions, none of the above careers can be achieved without going to college for at least 4 years and an investment of more than $40K.

This is the growing issue in the US with respect to jobs. Even if displaced workers were motivated and capable of attending college to study for one of the above careers, where would the money come from to pay the bills while they are at school? How do you raise a family without working?

And, what about if you are a junior or senior in high school and see one of these careers as something worth pursuing? Who guides you to understanding what it will take to be successful as a student in those fields? Are there appropriate resources and courses at the high school to prepare you for gaining acceptance into colleges that offer these programs? Will

What other choices might there be if you don’t have the interest in one of the above fields or you need to work to support your family? The top three jobs readily available that require little training are:

1) Retail Sales

2) Food Preparation

3) Customer Service Representative

As many under-employed people now realize, for the past 10 years the US has moved from a producer to a consumer society. Jobs (over 90 percent) are now in the service industry as compared to 25 years ago when over 80 percent of the jobs were in manufacturing. It is no longer possible for a high school graduate, or even a dropout, to get a high paying job that will see them though a lifetime. Most service industry related jobs will pay around $18K per year and have minimal, if any benefits.

On a related note, the world’s largest employer is Wal-Mart with 1.8 million employees (ranked second in total revenue). Other world employer leaders include the US Postal Service (4^th) with 803,000 employees (61^st in revenue) and McDonald’s at 447,000 employees (ranked 318^th in revenue).

Terms In The News

1) Jihad: defined as the utmost struggle (sometimes used to mean a religious war)

2) fatwa: a legal pronouncement that can include a declaration of war

An Insightful Quote

The Stone Age didn’t end because the world ran out of stones.

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE

© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

SEPTEMBER TIDBITS

Older Men and Employment

Maybe “55 is the new 40” when it comes to social engagements but in the work world, over 55 is a tough place to reside. Older men are facing discrimination in executive and administrative employment.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents say age is now a factor in finding higher wage employment. Before age 45, only 7 percent believe age is a factor. By age 55, 34 percent say age is a factor and from 45 to 60, 79 percent say age is a factor. (Source: USA Today)

It seems ironic that at a time when men (and women) would have the most value to their companies in terms of experience, knowledge and skills that they are being terminated. The same companies that say they are looking for people who can think critically are eliminating a critical asset in their workplace. The essential components of critical thinking, experience, knowledge and skills are thrown out with the older worker.

The percentage of men employed after age 54 has been dropping steadily and the main culprit appears to be the cost of health insurance. The difference in healthcare premiums between age 54 and 55 will cost a company an additional 50 percent or more in higher premiums. The higher costs have little to do with the actual health of the older person. The fees are based on statistical models that predict the likelihood of a serious illnesses occurring in various age groups.

Essentially, it is cheaper to hire people under 50; a company could have a work force twice as large given the savings in healthcare premiums. Other benefits, such as retirement and sick time, figure in as well making the older worker more of a liability than a value.

Without a universal approach to healthcare, it is unlikely that men will see a reversal of fortunes. Then again, given the war-like attitudes of the neo-cons, enough younger people may die over the 10 years to make it necessary to hire the over 50.

Variable Rates Starting to Take a Toll

Pity the fool was a popular quote from Mr. T on a TV show called the A-Team. This attitude may unfortunately now apply to those families that thought they could afford “starter castles” or homes that are outrageously large and expensive. Of course, the foolish part was buying these homes with exotic mortgages and variable rates that kept monthly obligations at a minimum. Until now.

Now, those rates are expiring or ballooning and monthly obligations are now forcing people into delinquency or worse, foreclosures. Pennsylvania currently has a 15.6 percent delinquency rate (defined as ARM loans 30 or more days past due). The national average is 12.2 percent. Sadly, these numbers are going up and have not yet peaked.

The states with rates under 10 percent include Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, Washington and Oregon. States with rates over 20 percent include West Virginia, Mississippi and Louisiana.

If you are in a position to sell, get out before you are overwhelmed. The secondary (pre-owned) housing market has many attractive options that are affordable.

As always, buyers beware! If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

First Amendment

Here is the actual First Amendment to the US Constitution:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

That is a lot to say in such a short paragraph and easy to understand why it is so misunderstood. In one sweeping statement, the idea of religion, free speech, public assembly and having access to government is offered. The First Amendment would have had less misinterpretation if each thought would have been treated separately, but not nearly as much fun. Where would TV writers get ideas for their legal shows?

Looking at one component, the idea of free speech, people need to remember that there are limitations. For example, you do not have free speech at work or in school. Say negative things about your boss and you will probably lose your job. In schools, there is constant vigilance over what is written in school papers or even on the Internet.

Is it fair? Probably not, but it is understood that when you accept a paycheck or taxpayers are paying for public education, that there are boundaries and the need to respect culture. The idea of free speech allows us to have dialog with our friends without the worry of legal repercussions. Free speech is not a license to unfairly criticize or disrupt work or school; just freedom to have conversations.

The best lesson is to learn how to negotiate or to politic for changes. Free speech is not always welcome and may undermine any beneficial changes.

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE

© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

PEOPLE WANT SOLUTIONS

Recently I was watching a talk show and one of the panelist stated that people are tired of hearing about problems; they want to hear about solutions. I’m sure they were referring to the mountains of political dialog that seems to center around the problems in the US and around the world. Certainly, solutions would be an outstanding contribution to moving our society forward.

Solutions take work and commitment. The “Founding Fathers” spent 4 months in the sweltering heat of a Philadelphia summer to create the Constitution of the United States (and then they were admonished for not creating a “Bill of Rights”). Not only was this effort completed under the stress of heat and debate but also without the interference of the press, lobbyists or the representatives’ families. Only weekends were reserved for families and some recreation; Monday morning everyone was back to work and so it went for 4 months.

The current US Congress will attempt to address a litany of issues while working less than 4 months for the entire year! Imagine if these legislators only worked on one social issue such as healthcare for 4 months. There’s a good chance a solution may be developed. But, when healthcare is one small part of a busy day of scheduled events, it is not likely to get the focus it deserves. It is no wonder that only problems are discussed during campaigning rhetoric.

Side note: For Congress to fix any problem, they will need to deal with a lobbying group. The number of registered lobbyists in Washington doubled from 2000 to 2005. In 2000, there were 16,342 registered lobbyists; by 2005, the number was 32,890. Bring up a topic and two sides are likely to appear.

America has become a society of sound bites and half-hour solutions. Television has created the impression that people can either make snap decisions to solve problems or they are too dumb to figure it out. (A Recent statistic in Time magazine stated that the average American watches 8.2 hours of TV every day!) As a result, people grow bored with problem-solving that may take weeks, months or even years. The prevailing attitude is to throw enough money at the problem and either it gets fixed or it goes away.

People are not widgets. Attitudes, behaviors and change take time, hard work and a developed level of trust. Unlike technology, people are not replaced by using new parts. Most key people are powerful and influential and not likely to surrender their views without proof that a new solution has value.

To create a solution with value takes more resources than currently exists in most venues. The time to dissect a problem to manageable components, create a solution at each level and then stitch the solutions back together for an “ultimate” approach is not possible. There are insufficient human and capital resources to fund such an effort. It will take too long and people will lose interest; waning interest also means waning financing.

As dreadful as this may appear, finding solutions is not a lost art. Most of what we appreciate today in terms of better health, better living and more of everything is a result of decades of solution hunting. By discussing problems in a rational and open way, people start thinking about positive outcomes. Progress has been made.

Hence, our problems, or finding solutions, are two-fold. First, results are not always immediate and people need to exercise patience. (It was once said that patience is the control of passion.) Rarely will we experience a quick and satisfying solution. Action is necessary to provide a direction. Once a direction is forged, it is always necessary to tweak the course to gain the best results.

Second, we need better dialog not just rhetoric. Like most people I am tired of every issue being turned into a new catch phrase like “smear and fear.” Let it go; start discussing issues without a self-serving agenda. “What’s in it for me” is a customer catch phrase not a phrase for decision-makers.

America and most of the world has the resources to take care of its entire people. The problems no one can overcome are greed and laziness.

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE

© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

HIGHER EDUCATION?

College Graduation Rates Lag Behind World

According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, even though 35 percent of high school students go on to college, only 17 percent complete requirements for a degree. The US ranks 16^th among the 27 countries studied (members of Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development) despite being 5^th in college participation rates. Side note: The likelihood of a 9^th grader going to college has decreased to less than 40 percent.

For comparison, Australia has 31 percent participation and 23 percent completion; Germany is 23%/13%; and Korea is 48%/18%. (source: USA Today, 9/7/06)

College has become an expensive way to keep the unemployment numbers down. Parents pay for several more years of education even though their child may not have a focus or desire to participate in higher education. But, since there are no jobs offering a fair wage with just a high school diploma, kids go off to college to “kill a couple of years” having fun and pretending to be engaged. Hence, the high participation rate with no degree payoff.

Higher education needs to reconsider its mission: is it a business or an opportunity to pursue scholarly activity with experts in their respective fields? Is it really necessary to send twice as many students into the halls of education for a result of 50 percent (or less) graduates? Why not toughen the standards and only admit those with the skills and desire to compete?

There was a time not too long ago when a doctorate was something very special and “rare”; a master’s degree was a significant achievement and a lot of work; and a bachelor’s degree meant a high paying professional job. Now with degree inflation, only a terminal degree offers the highest wages; somewhere in the future, a college will begin to offer the “super-PhD” that will create a new “arms race” in education. There’s no doubt that there will be a demand.

There was a time in our history when a “B” student graduating from a US college was considered highly educated by world standards. The higher education system has so cheapened itself that “B” should be considered “failing” by the new world standard.

The US does have highly talented and smart students. It is a disservice to them that higher education caters to everyone simply for the money.

Prison: The New Welfare

Much has been written lately about welfare reform removing millions from federal and state support. Here’s where they are going: prison. In 2005, the number of sentenced inmates per 100,000 US residents was 488. That number represents the 5^th consecutive year of increases. In 2001, the number was 470 and in 2003, it was 482.

You don’t have to hurt anyone to go to jail, just do something stupid to get sentenced to a few years. While you are there, you can enjoy more benefits than you’ll get as a free person. For example, you’ll have a bed with clean sheets and be warm in the winter. You’ll get regular meals; have access to a workout facility; behavioral counseling; and possibly, college credits. As a working poor person, you get none of these benefits (unfortunately, you probably make too much money to qualify for whatever social programs are left that may assist you).

Going to jail is an extreme solution to being poor with no alternatives. But, considering quality food and the new skill you’ll learn, maybe it is worth considering. (BTW: the facts are real the suggestions are satirical.)

Odds and Ends

According to the US Census, there are 78.2 million baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). In 2006, the oldest are turning 60. It looks like the AARP’s membership should be growing by significant numbers and having an impact throughout society, especially government. The US is in for an overhaul of thinking as these new “oldsters” will be much different than their predecessors. Remember, this is the group that coined the phrase “50 is the new 40.”

Finally, regarding minimum wage, here’s a thought: instead of raising the hourly wage to $7.25, why not keep it at $5.15 and waive all taxes and entitlement deductions? The real take-home at $7.25 won’t be $14,790; it will be minus Medicare, Social Security, state and local taxes, entitlement deductions such as unemployment, healthcare deductions and anything else that states want to dream up such as higher occupational privilege taxes. Isn’t that the ultimate slap in the face for poor people? Paying taxes for the privilege of working!

Unfortunately, the higher wages will result in lost jobs and the new wages won’t create any less dependency.

Higher minimum wage is not about eliminating poverty; it’s about more government revenue. If tax cuts for the rich are strengthening the economy, image what tax elimination for the poor will do to stimulate spending!

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE

© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC

COLLEGE TUITION, NCLB AND BS IN ACTION

Public Supported Colleges Are Costly

Penn State University continues to be the most expensive public university in the US (USA Today, 08/31/06). Residents saw a 5.7 percent increase to $12,164 per year; that’s a 45 percent increase since 2002. Out-of-state students now pay $22,712 per year, representing a 29 percent increase since 2002.

Are you looking for a bargain among the listed 75 universities? Go to the University of Florida, Gainesville where in-state students pay $3206 and non-residents pay $17,790.

The US college in-state median is $5838, a 6.4 percent increase since last year and a 38 percent increase since 2002. Non-residents median is $16,245, a 33 percent increase since 2002. Financial aid increased nationally by 17 percent since 2002 or about $1000 more last year than 2002. In essence, the ability for most students to pay for college, even as state residents, is eroding.

An interesting side note: the University of Texas recently reported earning $8.2 million in licensing rights following its national football championship. An in-state student pays $7800 per year, a 9.6 percent increase since last year and a 54.8 percent increase since 2002. Out-of-state students will pay $16,920 per year, a 51.8 percent increase since 2002. Considering how much the athletic department is earning plus tuition increases coupled with one of the worst graduation rates among the top NCAA schools, what are the people in Texas paying for? An excellent semi-pro football team!

NCLB

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said on August 30, 2006, that the No Child Left Behind Act is close to perfect and needs little change. “I talk about No Child Left Behind like Ivory Soap: It’s 99.9% pure or something,” Spellings said. “There’s not much needed in the way of change.” (USA Today, 08/30/06)

It’s easy to imagine the responses of either cheering or jeering from each respective side of the debate!

BS in Action

Verizon and Bell South were going to impose a new surcharge fees on DSL Internet lines. Bell South initially petitioned the FCC that the fee was necessary to offset regulatory costs associated with DSL. There’s one problem with that argument: DSL is an unregulated service. Ooops!

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GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE

© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC