No. 13: Lifelong learners or hoop-jumpers, growth of apprenticeships, getting comfortable with AI
Playing the game of student, getting paid to learn, AI as your new co-worker
First, some numbers:
71% - of college-bound students will seek financial aid to pay for college 1
9.4% - undergraduate enrollment has dropped 9.4% (~1.4 million students) during the pandemic 2
9 out of 10 - McKinsey survey forecasts that nine out of ten executives will face skill gaps within the next five years. 3
Are our kids becoming “world class hoop-jumpers?
The following is an excerpt from Paul Millerd’s book, The Pathless Path, where he makes the case for finding alternative paths to conventional “life scripts”.
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The term “hoop‑jumper” was coined by writer and former professor William Deresiewicz to describe the behavior of his students at Yale, who seemed more concerned about getting A’s and adding bullet points to their resumes than using their time at one of the world’s best universities to follow their curiosity. Focused on landing good internships or jobs, or getting accepted into graduate schools, his students based their choices on which classes and activities would improve their chances. Many had been playing this game for their entire lives, moving from one elite school to the next, fueled by lofty parental expectations.
I was becoming a hoop-jumper just like Deresiewicz’s students at Yale, internalizing the idea that education is “doing your homework, getting the answers, acing the test.” I had not developed a sense that “something larger is at stake” as Deresiewicz says, and only was playing the game of student, not using my mind.
Follow Paul on Twitter via @p_millerd
Download a sample of The Pathless Path here or purchase it from Amazon
Are Apprenticeships the Future of Work Training?
Most people get college degrees to prepare themselves to join the industry they’re interested in, but does traditional higher education actually help them reach that goal? According to a survey by McGraw Hill Education, only about 40% of college seniors feel that college has prepared them to get a job. This isn’t a good sign, since 58% of people choose higher education for better career and job outcomes.
With college tuition averaging $35,720 per student annually, it’s clear that the amount of money spent on higher education does not correlate with graduating students’ ability to get the best available jobs. Given that many industries are extremely understaffed, and that many college graduates do not get employed, it’s apparent that action must be taken to improve training for the workforce.
Introducing… Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a type of hands-on work training that allows individuals to learn industry skills on-the-job, while also receiving wages. Companies can hire apprentices in a variety of positions, providing them with a structured educational plan to undergo while also assigning company projects to work on with assistance from experienced employees. Unlike a college degree or most forms of alternative education, apprenticeships aren’t formal training to get a job - apprenticeships are a job.
As traditional higher education continues to get more and more expensive, apprenticeships turn the relationship around; apprenticeships are one of the only ways in which students can get paid to learn.
Read further at EdTech Insiders
Teaching AI to All Students
“AI will dominate the workplace and to be successful, people are going to have to understand it.” - Mark Cuban
In the past two years, the amount of artificial intelligence being used in our everyday lives has increased significantly. As a result, there is a greater demand for people who have the skills to work in this field, and it will continue to lead to the creation of many more jobs according to the Jobs of Tomorrow report.
There are big trends for this year about how AI will impact the world of work and the skills needed. It has been predicted that artificial intelligence will automate the production of 30% of all the content available on the Internet this year. With the creation of smart machines and new technologies and automation, humans will be replaced with machines, which means that students need to be able to develop skills that enable them to be flexible enough to adapt as these technologies and workplace needs change over time.
Read further at Getting Smart
Additional: Apply to Mark Cuban’s AI BootCamps for 9-12th graders
Till next time…
As the world continues to change and technology reshapes our lives, the stories we use to navigate life become outdated and come up short. - Paul Millerd, The Pathless Path