Partnership for the 21st Century Skills: Website Review
The Partnership for the 21st Century Skills (P21) is a nation organization aimed at creating a partnership between education, business, community and governments that prepares K-12 students for the future workforce. P21 believes that narrowing the gap of current and future workforce’s skill-set and technological needs is possible, if K-12 schools incorporate the 3Rs and 4Rs educational format. The 3Rs places emphasizes on subjects such as English, reading, math, science etc. while the 4Rs emphasizes the need for critical thinking and problem solving, communication and innovation. The P21 website offers a plethora of links to various resources, publications to further understand and incorporate their concepts.
While P21 makes a great case for the need for schools to apply to the 3Rs and 4Rs, I personally feel that placing the responsibility solely on K-12 education is misguided. K-12 education responsibility is to education the youth the basic skills to be productive members of society and stress the importance furthering their education. The individual needs to become a “life long learner” and continue their education at colleges, trade schools or educational workshops. Business interrogating new technology should also carry the burden of educating and financing the current workforce or provide aid to new employees.
As a Career Technical Education instructor, I incorporate concepts like P21 3Rs and 4Rs in to my courses. Students are learning and practicing techniques currently used in industry. Following graduation of high school, my students have the necessary skills to earn entry level jobs in fields of auto, drafting and woodworking. It is the responsibility of the individual to make the necessary sacrifices and iron out a path that will make them relevant in the 21st century.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)
http://www.p21.org/
