SCHOOLS MUST TEACH THE CORE SKILLS OF THE WORKPLACE

摘要

Too much of what we learn at school remains the academic stuff of the textbook until we encounter a problem in the workplace where we can put it into action. Like the householder who only remembers their GCSE in physics when the lights go out, education is merely theoretical until applied. There is much to value about academic learning. It is good to understand the biodiversity of the Galapagos, despite our likelihood of visiting them being slim. Physics students benefit from learning the lessons of the moon landings without any ambition to visit space. But there is a large gap in the curriculum for practical professional skills that all school-leavers will need. It is quite common for children to enter adulthood with good academic knowledge but little grasp of how the world of work functions. More rare, still, is the understanding of what some consider "soft skills", but are core competencies for those in management: the ability to motivate, inspire and develop people.