It’s hard to believe that in today’s economy there are jobs that are going unfilled because of the lack of education and skills.  There are roughly 14 million people without jobs in the United States, and there are 3.2 million available jobs that are going unfilled because workers can’t meet the needs in terms of skills.  Those who are currently unemployed know that in order to land a job, you need certain requirements, like communication, managerial, multi-tasking and basic reasoning skills in addition to past experience.  However, you can’t gain experience or basic skills without having a job – unemployed workers are stuck in a catch-22.

The Facts

• Past experience is vital when it comes to getting hired, but management, and communication skills are what will lead to future promotions. These basic management and communication skills include, problem solving, critical thinking, people management, and leadership skills, which are all crucial parts of succeeding once a job is obtained.
• In addition to this set of skills, most people believe a college education is also necessary in terms of success and promotion.  

Many workers are underemployed, with many responsibilities, some which don’t have the education to help them gain a better job position.  For these workers who are already in their 40s and 50s, finding the flexibility and time to go back and get their degree is very difficult – especially with high tuition prices and underpaying jobs.  However school will most likely impact their career, and with online colleges there are a variety of programs for many fields, that will boost your resume, and make you more desirable to employers.

The Problem

In the United States, we are facing a huge problem in our education system, which has led to this large 14 million unemployed lifestyle that many people are facing.  Many college programs are focusing their curriculums on the history of the field, instead of the knowledge and skills that are needed in order to get hired and succeed in that same field.  Learning the history and importance of psychology, journalism, or accounting is important, but when it comes to interviewing for a position at a desired company, interviewers won’t be focused on your historical knowledge.  What is more important when it comes to getting the job of your dreams is that you have to ability to professionally communicate, multi-task, problem solve, think critically, and work with people – all skills that are not normally taught in core college courses. 

The Solution

The solution in helping those who are unemployed gain the needed skills needed to obtain those 3.2 million jobs that are available is education.  For those who are older, education can seem like a waste of time, when in stead they could be applying for jobs, but there are ways to make getting a college education easier, such as online colleges. In fact, most people who attend an online college also work full-time, and schedule their classes around their agenda.  Even taking some courses in literature, writing, communication, and mathematics will assist in building up the skills that are needed for these unfilled jobs.  With hard work, and the persistence to learn, 3.2 million jobs could be filled - but it needs to start now.