A powerful article in this morning’s New York Times by Catherine Rampell (“Instead of Work, Young Women Head to School”) identifies in interesting shift: for the first time in three decades, there are now more young women in school than in the work force.
The women’s choice is deliberate: a good job can be tough to find in this economy, so take time now to upgrade skills and prepare for a better one down the line. It also stands in sharp contrast to their male counterparts who seem more likely to take the job they can find.
To quote Rampell: “The longer-term consequences, economists say, are that the next generation of women may have a significant advantage over their male counterparts, whose career options are already becoming constrained.”
I salute the young women for their commitment to professional development and their proactive stance toward career self-management.
The knowledge economy requires it – and the world is changing so fast, the only way to prepare for the jobs of the future is with advanced education that cultivates critical skills that will last the test of time like how to learn, how to work well with diverse others, how to manage change, how to be creative and embrace innovation, how to think more deeply and more flexibly, and how to lead from the head or the foot of the table.
Young women, continue your studies! I like what I see.
Young men, reconsider the wisdom of your choice. How can you better prepare for the work world that lies ahead?