Students = future employees


The wave of baby boomers that hit the
American work force pool with an intensity in the 1960s is starting to recede as the forerunners of this generation
pull back from full-time employment.

“Demographers are forecasting a change
in work force composition as the first of
the baby boomers begin retiring this year,”
says Dr. Linda Devine, vice president for
operations and planning at the University
of Tampa. “Since this generation of workers is very large, this information suggests
that there are going to be many opportunities for younger workers and challenges for
all employment sectors as they compete for
talent. In the future, the pool of available
workers will be smaller than at present and
our needs will be greater than ever before
in this global climate.

“This is an exciting time to be working
with young professionals. They are technologically savvy, community-minded and
they bring an infectious creative energy to
the workplace.”

Smart Business spoke with Devine
about how to equip and attract future business leaders.

How can companies help prepare future
employees?

The best way to ensure a competent
future work force is to be where that work
force is now — in our schools. As business
leaders invest in students, learning will
occur in both directions. Not only will students’ lives be enriched and enhanced by
increased knowledge of career possibilities, but companies will also be strengthened by an increased understanding of
their consumers (and future consumers)
and a sense of investment in the communities in which they reside.

How can businesses use their financial
resources to benefit the future work force?

Companies can use their charitable donations to make a huge impact in the lives of
students. Their funds can go toward college scholarships. They can also invest in
programs that give students opportunities
to go to leadership training or to participate in educational programs on a state or
national level.

Donations to schools can also help equip
students with items such as books, computers, laboratory equipment, or new and
improved campus facilities, so they can get a
quality education, regardless of grade level.

How can companies share their people
assets to develop the future work force?

One of the easiest ways businesses can
share their human resources is to partner
with educational institutions from pre-schools to colleges. Alignment between
business and education is becoming
increasingly important, given the changing
demographics. It is never too early to
expose students to the world of possibilities in business.

I recently participated in the Tampa
Chamber of Commerce initiative ‘Diploma-See,’ a joint venture with Tampa Bay
WorkForce Alliance and Junior Achievement. More than 300 eighth-graders had a
half-day experience focused on the economics of education. It was a marvelous
experience for all involved.

At my institution, we partner in hundreds
of ways with the community through companies, agencies, governmental entities
and other institutions. Whether it’s working on a case study, listening to a guest lecturer, conducting site visits or volunteering in
the community, students need to be engaged with the world and learn by doing
and observing real-world activities.

How can businesses prepare future employees through job experiences?

Experiences like internships are a window for students to see into those professions they aspire to join. For businesses
that don’t offer internships, job-shadowing
for shorter periods of time is effective.

The most obvious benefits are exposure
to specific skill sets and knowledge used
within a particular enterprise. But the
shared goal of both business and education
is to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help employees transcend a position or duty. We want to educate students to reason, to discern, to work
in groups and teams, and to conduct their
lives professionally and ethically.

It is important to note that many of
today’s jobs did not exist 30, 20 or even 10
years ago. We are now preparing a generation for jobs that do not yet exist. We need
to think [how] that preparation, in terms of
knowledge and skills, will carry our future
employees from position to position.

What are some of the benefits and incentives
that most appeal to young professionals?

What I hear from young professionals —
both male and female — is that they are
searching for positions that offer flexibility,
creativity and work-life balance. They want
to become experts in their fields, contribute to the society at large and enjoy life
outside the workplace. And while I know
those descriptions sound trite in some
respects, I think that this new generation of
workers really does mean them.

DR. LINDA DEVINE is vice president for operations and planning at The University of Tampa. For more information about the
university, visit www.ut.edu. Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance helps
prepare the future work force by investing in college scholarships,
which prepares high school students for an increasing demand of
a higher educated work force. For more information, visit
www.workforcetampa.com.