Be capable not just competent

I am grappling with a hard choice. Should I make it to the Singapore Conference organized by the Institute of Adult Education. As I was browsing through their 2012 Conference blog, I found an interesting post. Vocational education and training focuses too much on meeting required roles and tasks and too little on developing the individual. And that is a big problem, says Professor Leesa Wheelahan. It is a big problem because many students don't end up in jobs that they train for. It is a big problem because in liberal economies like Australia and Singapore, vocational education and training is often treated like a lesser cousin to higher education. It is a big problem because by focusing on rote learning and following formulae, students are not empowered to go beyond what they are "qualified" to do. In other words, a plumber will be a plumber will be a plumber forevermore. If someone wants to be a plumber, then it's all fine and good, but what if he wants something else? How has he been equipped to do so? All these questions are extremely relevant to Singapore. Just think about our ITE system. Can you imagine an ITE graduate managing an NUS grad? Now ask yourself, why not? Prof Wheelahan's passionate argument is to move away from competency-based training and into capability training. Focus on using skills as a lens to view the world, not just on applying said skills. Teach math, she says, not just formulae. This, she argues, would help not just graduating students, but adult learners, in their transitions from one job to another, from an occupation to the next. Strong words, bold vision. Now, how do we do it?

Skills Gaps

The following article from Talent Management.com and sponsored by SABA outlines the soft skills gap issue. Survey: Soft Skills make up the Biggest Competency Gap Ninety two percent of senior executives in the U.S. acknowledge there is a serious gap in workforce skills, according to the “State of the Economy and Employment” survey from Adecco Staffing US. Yet for all the traditional talk about a skills gap in technical and computer skills, 44 percent of respondents cited soft skills — such as communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration — as the area with the biggest gap. In fact, only 22 percent cited a lack of technical skills as the culprit for the U.S. skills gap — with leadership (14 percent) and computer skills (12 percent) following behind. When it does come to the gap in computer skills, Gen X executives — more than any other generation surveyed — are most likely to believe this is the skill that most seriously affects the U.S. workforce. As for business implications related to the U.S. gap in skills, the survey found that the majority (64 percent) of senior executives who believe there is a skills gap feel the greatest threat to U.S. businesses is investment going to companies abroad instead of staying in U.S. — 34 percent believe the U.S. gap in skills poses a threat to businesses research and development capabilities. Other findings include: U.S education system needs to better prepare future generation of workers. According to the survey, more than half (59 percent) of respondents do not believe colleges and universities in the U.S. offer curriculums that adequately prepare students for today's workforce. Apprentice/training programs could be a solution. Among those respondents who said there is a skills gap in the U.S. workforce, 89 percent believe corporate apprenticeships or training programs could help alleviate the problem. Yet 42 percent said the greatest barrier to creating in-house training programs is the cost of development. Manufacturing suffering most from skills gap. Of those who believe there is a skills gap in the U.S, 30 percent said it most affects the manufacturing industry. Other industries cited included technology (21 percent) and professional and business services (19 percent). Interestingly, as dire as the need is for skilled workers in the U.S., senior executives did not feel the skills gap poses a direct threat to the U.S. economy; only 13 percent cited it as a major concern. Instead, federal spending (24 percent), global competition (22 percent) and high unemployment (20 percent) were called out as what they feel are the greatest threats to the U.S. economy.