Addressing Global Skill Gaps Through Higher Education

The world will experience significant skill shortfalls in the future as companies struggle with hiring and training new talent. The burden will rest more heavily on government and higher education to meet these skills in a way that leads to greater growth, income, and innovation in the marketplace. According to a survey conducted by IBM Institute for Business Value, in cooperation with Oxford Economics, responses from 5,600 global executives representing 18 industries and 48 countries found the following:

-60% of executives have difficulties keeping workforce skills current with changing technologies. 

-55% believe that the current educational system foster lifelong learning and skill attainment. 

-55% believe their is inadequate investment from private industry to develop skills. 

-80% believe government should be responsible for skill development. 

-55% believe that higher education updates curricula enough to keep pace with industry changes.

The study suggests that skill shortages will continue in certain fields and that companies are not doing enough to fix these problems through training. Unfortunately, many of these skills rest on a broader and deeper understanding of the context of such understandings and this is necessary to obtain through the longer higher education process.

Colleges will need to continue to update their curriculum using as relevant information as possible. That often means collaborating with business and government stakeholders to determine precisely what type of skills are lacking. There is also benefit in continuously updating such course offerings through chronic study of industry needs. 

The report also suggests building a global talent pool through industry, education, government and public sector collaboration to create 1. regional ecosystems, innovative solutions, encourage greater individual responsibility for education. Their suggestions indicate that greater collaboration of stakeholders in fulfilling these educational gaps is needed. More innovation in higher education and reduction of undo restrictions on new educational models seems appropriate. As students move through their educational process they should be taught the values of individual responsibility and carry that through to a life-long learning approach.

King, M.; Marshall, A. & Zaharchuk, D. (2017). Responding to global skills crisis. Strategy & Leadership, 45 (2). 

Quality Snowshoes will Make the Difference in Your Outdoor Experience

Quality snowshoes will make the difference with your next trek out into the wilderness. In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan we have blistering cold, deep snow, and tens of thousands of acres of untouched forest that includes streams, lakes, coastline, and wildlife. A few things you may want to look at for picking your snowshoes will be helpful.

There are obvious differences between wood and aluminum. The wood ones are heavy, long, and hard to turn around in. They are made of leather while the newer ones are lighter, more mobile, and typically come with better bindings. If you are looking for a newer style think about the following:

1. Weight: Lighter snowshoes are generally better if they are easy to lift in the snow.

2. Durability: You will want to check all the parts and market sure it is of quality construction.

3. Bindings: Make sure the bindings are easy to use or quick release. They should fit a large range of different size boots.

4. Grip Teeth: Make sure the "claw" on the bottom of the snowshoe is of solid construction and can help you climb up hills.

2018 May be the Year of Inflation and Employment Opportunities

What happens when there are supply shortages and businesses run at maximum capacity? When the economy is zooming ahead quickly and supply shortages occur the cost of products increases and so does inflation. As inflation increases the overall value of a dollar declines and people have less disposable income to spend on discretionary products while spending more for basic household items because they have to conserve on their dwindling earning power.

According to JP Morgan Chase & Co.'s PMI report global growth will be around 4 percent. This means more people are buying products and people will need to manufacture more to fulfill growing consumer demand.

This can lead to higher wages and additional hiring. We don't have a large unemployed population so whatever cushion within the system is likely to be sucked up quickly. After that slack is gone wages begin to increase.

Some will benefit over others. People highly skilled, or with specific training, will find their skills worth more while those who do not have advanced skills will start to see their earning power decline without new training programs. The gap between those who have and those who don't will lessen.

As inflation picks up the government is also likely to use interest rate hikes in their tool kit to slow down the economy and in turn inflation. There is a healthy balance where wages rise but inflation is still low that leads to improved earning power. A very difficult window for any government to maintain for long.

Another problem is that most employers don't raise wages fast enough to match the lost earning power. The reasons for this are based in a sticky economy and the insecurity of raising wages that will lead to increased costs. Productivity, skills, and innovation can justify wage increases.

For most of us, we will continue to have the pleasure of losing 3-5% of our income every year while doing more because of increased work demands based on production pressure. As increasing demand rises it would be beneficial for Americans to think about improving productivity, narrowing the wealth gap through raises, returning investments back into the U.S., and seeking to gain market share so they can squeeze out foreign competitors when the market slows down.

The Basic Benefits of Tai Chi

Tai Chi is must like yoga in offering fitness, mental, and health benefits. It also has the bonus of teaching one basic self-defense classes. While I like kempo and kick boxing I often find myself gravitating toward Tai Chi as a good "glue" that gaps yoga and self-defense.

Here is a video on basic Tai Chi tactics. You can see people practicing this at parks and gyms in California and much of the rest of the country.

Crisp Clean Super Moons in the Wilderness

Super moons are not something common but when they do occur they can be beautiful. I was out hunting near and on my drive home I passed the old KI Sawyer Air force Base. As I rounded the turn I noticed a great big moon that cast a nice light over the woods. While it was -1 degrees Fahrenheit out and my phone would get sluggish in just a few seconds of exposure I was able to snap at least one shot.

Such natural phenomenon add to the beauty and lifestyle that is attractive for a more natural lifestyle outside of a city. As the economy changes more people will be drawn to large cities and likely not see many of these natural beauties. There will be a large, yet smaller, demographic people that will use their education and work arrangements to life outside the city and comet to places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where a growing eco-tourist industry is growing.