Giving Compass' Take:

• Pew Research Center surveys demonstrate that six in ten adults think k-12 education should take on responsibility for ensuring that students will be successful in the future workforce.

• How can schools with limited funding and resources take on workforce preparation as an added subject to their curriculum? 

• Read about a different approach to workforce development, in which the Bridge Program helps adults without high school diplomas develop basic skills. 

Economists and educators grapple with how best to prepare workers for jobs in today’s economy, there is evidence that a majority of Americans look to elementary and secondary schools to provide the building blocks people need for a successful career.

Six-in-ten adults say the public K-12 education system has a lot of responsibility in making sure the U.S. workforce has the right skills and education to be successful in today’s economy, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in association with the Markle Foundation in 2016. The only entity or institution that more people say has a lot of responsibility is “individuals themselves,” cited by 72% of adults.

Although the public is somewhat ambivalent on whether colleges and universities are responsible for preparing the American workforce, a majority (67%) say a four-year degree prepares someone at least somewhat well for a well-paying job in today’s economy.

Vast majorities of those who graduated with a four-year degree say their education was at least somewhat useful in providing skills for the workplace, job opportunities and personal growth. Yet views on what the main purpose of college should be also varied by party. About six-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners (58%) say college should be for teaching specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace.

Read the full article about workforce preparation by Kristen Bialik at Pew Research Center