Title: Should Today’s Education be Relevant to Tomorrow’s Job Market?

For many individuals, education is essential to succeeding in the working world. However, not everyone believes education is catered to jobs skills, and some believe childhood and higher education doesn’t prepare future employees for the job market at all. The question is, should education be teaching skills relevant to the future job market? With so much basic, needed information to cover in most curriculums, should schools afford to integrate career-oriented education into their courses?

In reality, all education should be preparing students for future careers. It is the primary goal of education to provide students with the necessary tools, skills and behaviors that lead to success. However, the school environment and the work environment are very different, and education typically does not focus on preparing students for the eventual job market. Should it? Almost an overwhelming majority of educators have the answer: yes, of course it should!

Many teachers, researchers and professionals claim that there are numerous benefits to producing education that applies to tomorrow’s job market. Some of the positive outcomes of this learning philosophy include:

• Increased student enthusiasm. Many studies have shown (and many teachers believe) that formulating relationships between school learning and working activities increases student’s interest in a subject. Combining some programs that let students go on-the-job – such as joining a firefighter in their daily duties and routines – can empower a child and heighten their interest in the course.
• Increased appreciation and understanding. Students that are able to link school learning to everyday career responsibilities are more likely to have a more thorough grasp of the subject and concepts. For example, kids that dislike chemistry may finally understand (and even grow to love!) this science subject after witnessing how it works in a bakery.
• Better employment outcome. Students that learn how their academics apply to their careers are more likely to hold successful jobs. Education that is made relevant to tomorrow’s job market fosters skills and knowledge highly preferred in employees (such as professionalism, problem-solving, multi-tasking and innovation).
• Better personal skills. Experience with the ‘job market’ world encourages students to form beneficial habits, such as: organization, the ability to multitask, effective communication, self-respect, professionalism and punctuality.

There is encouraging evidence that education should be geared towards preparing students for tomorrow’s job market, not only for their own gain, but also for the success of their future employers. Learning never comes back void, but learning can even help boost a student’s standing by benefiting them in their future career.