Does Johnny Need a Four Year Degree?

The Pathways to Prosperity Project, which is based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, released a fascinating report yesterday titled: Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century.

Do you know what Project Lead the Way is?

According to the press release, the report contends that our national strategy for education and youth development has been too narrowly focused on an academic, classroom-based approach. I know what you're thinking, "leave it to the Harvard intellectuals to publish a report stating what you've known for years." I thought that. Then I thought, but what have I done about it?

Visit Harvard's site here for the press release details. Here is the link to the Pathways to Prosperity report.

Upon reading the report you might think something like this, but I'm just one contractor, I cannot organize government, the public school system and industry into one cohesive machine that can tackle these problems head on. I agree. By understanding the stated problems and offered solutions however, you can begin to prepare for the road ahead. Actually, if you read this report with an open mind, you'll probably begin to get ideas that you can use in the near future. For instance...

If a middle school student asked you for a detailed pathway of education that they could pursue in order to work as a technician or tradesman for your company, could you provide it?

The authors of the report discuss Project Lead The Way. It was developed to introduce high school students to engineering. Right now the program involves 3,500 high schools and 300,000 students. I wonder if there might be value in employing one of these students part time, while they go to school? Visit Project Lead The Way to learn more about what they do and for a high school near you.