Employers say one-fifth of American workers are not fully proficient in their jobs, and they express a lack of confidence in the ability of schools and colleges to prepare young people for the workplace, according to the first national survey ever done by the Census Bureau of hiring, training and management practices in American business.
Researchers say the study, which was produced for the federal Department of Education, illustrates an alarming divide between the schools and the workplace even as national education and labor policy calls for closer cooperation, both to improve the skills of the nation's work force and to smooth the transition from school to work.
The study found that in selecting workers, employers tended to disregard grades and school evaluations and rely more on the job applicant's attitude, behavior and job experience.
Many employers reported that they no longer hired students straight out of school and put them into career-track jobs. And FTC they said that in training their own employees, they were far more likely to seek out equipment suppliers or private consultants than educational institutions.
On a broader level, the survey found businesses less likely than experts had expected to use innovative management practices, such as job rotation, self-managed teams and consistent monitoring of potential problems in the workplace.
Joan Wills, who specializes in work force issues at the Institute for Educational Leadership, a private, nonprofit research organization, said, "If indeed it is true, as many argue, that the organization of the workplace and the quality of the work force is going to be the central factor in keeping us competitive, there's not much evidence here that we're utilizing the best practices."
Schools, of course, serve a broader educational purpose than just training workers. But experts say the survey findings, particularly the degree to which they indicate that employers are divorcing themselves from the schools, are troubling and in stark contrast to nations such as Japan, where employers and schools have common goals and strategies.
"We were surprised at just how much animosity there is toward young people in the employer community," said Robert Zemsky, director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania. He co-directed the group that developed the survey.
The survey, developed by the National Center on the Educational Quality of the Work Force at the University of Pennsylvania, was conducted in August and September.
It was based on the responses of managers at 3,000 locations nationwide with more than 20 workers.
Researchers said the survey would provide a "reality check" on practices in the workplace. "It establishes a baseline for understanding when, how and why employers invest in the skills of their workers," the survey said.