Our students are not prepared for today's workforce demands

By Claudia C. Alvarez

Because our our schools are not preparing students with the skills necessary to qualify for today's jobs, we are loosing jobs to other states and even other countries.

Furthermore, classes that are being offered, are not matched with the skillwork necessary to qualify for today's jobs.

There are several factors contributing to this shortcoming.

• Interest in such areas is not being developed early enough in a child's educational curriculum.

• By the time a student enters college, they find the coursework too complex and easily give up.

• At the college level, appropriate guidance to overcome these challenges is not provided and the appropriate remedial coursework is not being offered.

• By the time a student needs to find a job, they find themselves not qualifying for the available jobs and end up dropping out.