Technology has fueled globalization while broadening the skills necessary to be a
successful worker. The workforce continues to change in regard to the types of jobs
needed in the 21st century. According to a 2011 study from the Harvard Graduate School
of Education called Pathways to Prosperity Project, the need for workers with four-year
degrees and technological training is growing very rapidly. The 21st century prompted for
these creative and innovative workers to be in extreme demand for the highest paid jobs
because they require technical and specialized skills along with problem solving skills for
a technologically driven workplace (Murnane and Levy, 1996; Wood, 2001).
Exacerbating this workforce crisis further, is the contribution of the Baby Boomer
retirements. Smith (2007) reports Baby Boomer retirements have resulted in a loss of
more than 75 million of these valuable workers in 2011. If these workers are not
gradually replaced, the decrease in the American workforce will result in other nations
competing for the same services. As the global economic playing field flattens, the
competition for highly skilled work will also grow (Welsh, Gordon and Williams, 2008).
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Technological advances have allowed educated workers from across the globe to
compete for American company jobs. As a result, American workers will be compelled to
gain valuable skills or risk not being integrated into the workforce.