In my monthly,
STEM Anchor Skills Series, I give hints like the following on improving
critical cognitive and technical skills for young adults. I will also respond
to questions submitted. To join the newsletter and submit questions, please
email me at jgabriella.played@gmail.com.
Digital Career Essentials
In a sense, the Millennial Generation and those following
are better positioned to deal with the increasing impact of technological
change on their lives. Born into a digital world, they are much more comfortable
with the technology surrounding them, and they have fewer old habits to discard
for new ones.
On the other hand, younger generations face several
difficulties. First, many will falsely believe that because they are deft technology
users, they are prepared for 21st century careers. They may also
neglect basic skills like cursive writing and basic arithmetic along with other
core sciences, erroneously convinced they
can Google the answer to any questions. In reality, these core skills are
critically important because they underlie all the technologies we use. Neither
these skills nor the programming skills they will require are easily acquired.
Both take years of regular practice.
Likewise, the younger generation will deal with
increasing rates of change, a dynamic spawning myriad related problems. One is
increased stress and confusion due to options overload. Our youth will have to
deal with more choices, explore more opportunities. The second problem relates
to the need for constant learning and skills acquisition. Due to increased life
spans and labor market changes, young people will likely have two or three
different careers during their lives, capitalizing on employment hiatuses to
obtain further education. To help children adequately prepare for a
technology-charged future, I suggest the following to parents based on my
career experience.
Teach children to leverage
technology to increase efficiency and employability.
1.
Train
typing / keyboarding skills
2.
Teach
them Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to the intermediate level
3.
Show
them Keyboard shortcuts (ctrl + s, ctrl + n, ctrl + z, ctrl + v, ctrl + c)
4.
Teach
them how to set and prioritize goals.
5.
Show
them how to manage time
Emphasize
Communication and Etiquette
1.
Teach
them proper etiquette for responding to a business phone call or email.
2.
Similarly,
show them how to order, eat, and behave properly at a business meal.
3.
Have
them practice introducing themselves and preparing one-minute talks describing
their hobbies, interests, career aspirations, strengths and weaknesses.
4.
Explain
the difference between informal / casual (jeans acceptable), business casual
(slacks and a polo or color shirt for men; close-toed footwear); business
attire (matching double-breasted suit, starched shirt, tie, and wing-tipped
formal shoes). Have young men practice tying ties.
Help
them acquire experience and reflect on it.
1.
Have
them write a resume by their senior year in high school
2.
Have
them create a LinkedIn Profile. Encourage children to join groups of
professionals in fields that interest them. Have them ask questions to the
group and read published content.
3.
Teach
children the importance of exercising discretion in expressing opinions and
posting to social media sites.
4.
Have
young adults begin writing a blog or create a web page to display digital
skills
5.
Urge
them to work part-time jobs during the summer while in high school.
6.
During
college, students them pursue internships, even unpaid ones, to acquire
experience and learn more about fields that interest them. In some instances, they
will no longer be interested in the career by the end of the internship. This
knowledge is invaluable, sparing them the time, effort, and expense that they would
have invested to pursue the career, only to discover it was not a suitable fit.
7.
Talk
to children about spending a gap year between their junior and senior year of
college. During this time, they could do a long internship or several shorter
ones. They could also attend boot camps on web design and coding. This
additional experience will distinguish them from job seekers who primarily
studied during college.
Teach
No Longer Common Common-Sense Skills
1.
Have children open savings accounts and
when they start working, checking accounts. Teach them how to balance their
bank book.
2.
Explain your family budget. Teach children
to save 10% of their income, avoid debt unless absolutely necessary (e.g., for
emergency medical treatment), and have them calculate interest on credit cards.
3.
Teach them to delay gratification and set
financial goals. If they want a new tablet pc or car, help them determine the
price of a suitable one. Then, calculate how many hours they will have to work
at their current pay rate to estimate the minimum amount of time in which they
could save the money.
4.
Remind children that technology is obsolescing
at increasing rates. They should not rush to purchase the latest smart phone
this week because a new, slicker model is likely to appear in two or three
months.
Author Profile
Dr. Gabriella
is an accomplished scholar and businessman. Ivy-league educated, he has served
as a lecturer or professor at universities in the U.S., Japan, and China.
Currently, he resides in Japan, where he is a senior manager and active
consultant. A former high-school math teacher, Joseph is passionate about
teaching critical STEM skills to future generations through his company,
Play-Ed Corporation.
STEM Training Subscription
Begins August 15, 2016
For a nominal monthly fee, students may enroll for virtual STEM lessons that either I or one of my trained staff will facilitate. Each week, I will provide one STEM challenge problem for students to solve. Then, through a virtual lesson, I will review key concepts from the problem, respond to questions, and teach students various learning strategies, problem-solving methods, and types of thinking. I will also furnish opportunities for participants to learn from one another. Finally, I will collect feedback from students for use in improving the lessons, making them more fun and didactic. The purpose of this extra-curricular training is to guide students in the application of STEM subjects to real-world problems, thereby preparing our youth for future careers.
Contact jgabriella.played@gmail.com to register.
Contact jgabriella.played@gmail.com to register.
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