High Schools and the Changing Workplace The Employers' View (1984) / Chapter Skim
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What High School Graduates Need
What High School Graduates Need
Pages 17-28
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From page 17... ...
Advancement to more responsible posts requires skills of an even higher order, including the ability to compose tables and reports, to consult reference and source materials, to apply mathematical concepts and procedures, to control complex equipment, and to address groups. These conclusions derive from the panel's collective experience and from examinations by its members of their own industries.
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From page 18... ...
• Very disparate workers, such as nursing assistants, clock repairers, and surveying technicians, need to be familiar with equipment used in laboratory work. Beyond these specific skills, the panel agrees that young people need additional characteristics to succeed on the job: attitudes and understanding that lead to good work habits and successful interpersonal relationships.
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From page 19... ...
For those intending to enter the work force directly after completing high school, additional training in specific vocational skills will increase employability and is naturally desirable. But no other skills, however useful or worthwhile, can substitute for the core competencies.4 Young people not planning on going to college may not require advanced or highly theoretical courses in mathematics, science, or other academic subjects, but they must have a working knowledge of these disciplines to permit them to perform job tasks accurately, correctly, and with understanding.
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From page 20... ...
Command of the English Language The panel predicates this list of competencies on possession of the most basic skill of all -- a command of the English language, which it believes to be essential for success and mobility in American society. Although a second language may be useful in job mobility, all American young people, regardless of their home or native tongue, need a functional command of standard English in its written and spoken forms.
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From page 21... ...
Skillful writing requires the ability to: Gather information suitable for the purpose Organize information in a logical and coherent manner Use standard English syntax Apply the rules of correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization Attribute references correctly Use reference books such as a dictionary, a thesaurus, and an encyclopedia Write legibly.
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From page 22... ...
Countless work tasks require computations of cost, time, volume, area, percentage, fractional share, and other mathematical relationships. Precise computation requires that a person be able to: • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, and fractions accurately Calculate distance, weight, area, volume, and time Convert from one measurement system to another, for example, from English to metric Determine the costs, time, or resources necessary for a task Calculate simple interest Compute costs and make change Understand simple probability and statistics Calculate using information obtained from charts, graphs, and tables • Use ratios, proportions, percentages, and algebraic equations with a single unknown • Estimate results and judge their accuracy.
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From page 23... ...
23 High school graduates need the confidence that they can understand how things work. Nothing builds this confidence so effectively as the study of specific technologies and the scientific principles underlying them.
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From page 24... ...
Facility with technology comes from understanding these rules and in working with devices embodying them. That, the panel believes, is best achieved by combining classroom study with practical experience in school laboratories or outside school; for example, learning the principles of chemical combinations and performing simple chemical reactions; learning the basic electrical laws and operating a voltmeter; and studying the thermal properties of solids and examining the structure of an integrated circuit chip.
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From page 25... ...
Effective interpersonal relations require the ability to: Interact in a socially appropriate manner Demonstrate respect for the opinions, customs, and individual differences of others Appreciate the importance and value of humor Offer and accept criticism constructively Handle conflict maturely Participate in reaching group decisions. Social and Economic Studies Understanding how employees and employers fit into the economic structure of the community and country is essential to an appreciation of one's own contributions and responsibilities.
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From page 26... ...
They are also vital to success in school and should be cultivated long before a student enters the work force.5 Constructive work habits and attitudes require: A realistic positive attitude toward one's self A positive attitude toward work and pride in accomplishment A willingness to learn Self-discipline, including regular and punctual attendance and dependability The ability to set goals and allocate time to achieve them The capacity to accept responsibility The ability to work with or without supervision Appropriate dress and grooming An understanding of the need for organization, supervision, rules, policies, and procedures Freedom from substance abuse Appropriate personal hygiene. The panel emphasizes again that these competencies are goals, by no means universally achievable to the same level by all, but nevertheless
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From page 27... ...
These goals must be supplemented by others if high school graduates are to participate fully in the cultural and civic life of this country. 1 See, for example, Colorado Department of Education, op.
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