NJBIA: Gallup Poll Shows Importance of Career Education

On Sep 25, 2014

A new Gallup poll provides important empirical evidence that both average Americans and the business community share the belief that high-quality career education is vital for a strong New Jersey economy, Melanie Willoughby, acting president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), said today.

The survey results provide the black-and-white data showing the importance with which our society holds career and technical education.  And it also shows that the business community is on the right track in addressing employability concerns, as reflected in NJBIA’s Workforce Development Initiative.

A very high percentage (87%) of Americans believe high school students should receive “more education about possible career choices,” and 86 percent said skills such as dependability, persistence and teamwork are very important in helping high school students get a good job.  The results were reported in a recent PDK/Gallup poll on education.

“For years, employers have been worried about a growing gap between what students learn in school and the skills that are needed in the modern workplace,” Willoughby said.  “Now we find that many Americans share the same concerns.

“A well-educated, highly trained workforce is a crucial asset for New Jersey’s employers,” Willoughby said.  “Today a highly skilled workforce is more important than ever because technology and innovation drive much of our economic growth and companies must compete on a global basis.”

The results of the PDK/Gallup poll are analogous to NJBIA’s own surveys of employers.  Notably, large majorities of member companies find employability skills lacking.  In NJBIA’s survey, 74 percent of our members said entry-level employees had fair or poor time-management skills, 73 percent said they had fair or poor communication skills and 70 percent said the same about critical thinking skills.

Willoughby said that NJBIA has been working with education groups and legislators to ensure that graduates are prepared for the workforce.  The Association has developed employee training programs in partnership with the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the state’s community colleges.

NJBIA has helped improve curriculum and employability skills in education by working with career and technical schools to develop more hands-on learning.   The Association also supports  career and technical education legislation that recently cleared the Senate Education Committee after being approved earlier this year in the state Assembly.

“Taking on this issue is a high priority for us,” said Willoughby.  “If we continue to be as successful as we have been businesses will have a steady pipeline of skilled workers, and graduates will have both the technical and employability skills they need to have a successful career.”

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