Skills Needed For The Next Circus

If you have been associated with us for very long, you know that one of the key points we focus on is continuous improvement. One of the reasons we have so many elephants to juggle now is that we did not adequately prepare physically, emotionally, mentally or financially for them before they became so heavy in our life.

That's why the NY Times article, Factories ready to hire, but employers find skills shortage, caught our attention. The writer highlights that manufacturers are beginning to look for new workers, but that that these workers need a higher level of skill than the typical assembly line worker of the past. Some of the key skills needed as highlighted in the article included:

• Operate sophisticated computerized machinery
• Follow complex blueprints
• Demonstrate higher math proficiency than workers in the past

The writer gives the example of a manufacturing facility that interviewed over 3,600 applicants and only found 47 capable of taking the $13-$15 per hour jobs they had available.

Regardless of whether you are employed or unemployed, the article asks all of us to ponder if we have (or need to develop) the skill sets to be successful in tomorrow's workforce. As we say in Juggling Elephants, your circus is only as good as your NEXT performance.