FutureWork Education

Predictions of Forces Shaping our World

Thu May 16 10:01:59 CDT 2013

The task of the futurist is not to surprise or come up with new insights. In the past, this was what people expected. Almost like a new season of a TV show, people expect more shocks, something new and different in order to keep their interest. This is not the best contribution for a futurist to make. Sometimes we need to keep telling people what is already evident because telling/hearing is not the same as understanding/responding.

Postsecondary Enrollment in the Great Recession

Tue May 14 09:13:22 CDT 2013

Following the Great Recession (December 2007 through June 2009), the official U.S. unemployment rate reached the highest levels recorded since the early 1980s, peaking at 10.0 percent in October 2009. However, what really distinguishes the Great Recession from past episodes of high unemployment is the long-term unemployment rate (the percentage of the civilian labor force unemployed for more than 26 weeks). Following the Great Recession, the long-term unemployment rate was nearly double the highest levels seen in the last 50 years, reaching 4.4 percent in April 2010.

Automotive Programs Need to Respond to Industry Changes

Tue May 14 09:13:22 CDT 2013

Community colleges need to retool their automotive programs to adapt to a changing industry that needs fewer workers with more advanced skills, according to an auto industry researcher.

2012 Report on Higher Education Performance

Tue Apr 23 12:38:20 CDT 2013

Minnesota ranked high among states in educational attainment, which measures the highest level of education received by people residing in Minnesota, using U.S. Census data. Postsecondary attainment increased substantially over the past 40 years, with the percentage of Minnesota's population with a bachelor's degree nearly tripling since 1970.

For the population age 18 to 64, 42 percent of Minnesotans had an associate degree or higher, ranking second nationwide.
Among younger age groups, 51 percent of Minnesotans age 25 to 34 and 35 to 44 had an associate degree or higher, ranking second behind Massachusetts, nationwide in 2011.