Encouraging and supporting a high quality system of educating youth and adults is fundamental to our being a thriving and competitive country in the current global marketplace. A nation that would short-change its schools and training opportunities gets what it pays for-an unmotivated and unskilled workforce.However the role of educational institutions is under great pressure to change not only some of its practices, but its core mission. Preparing citizens for future years isn't what it was previously. Historically it was accepted a relatively limited set of skills were needed to fortify an individual for the world that awaited. We had the canon of reading, writing, and arithmetic (still important, needless to say) and threw in some knowledge to encourage citizenship, but beyond that students were largely on their own to determine which of several career paths they would choose.Not in the 21st century. A good Bachelor's Degree isn't enough to suffice for a whole career. The type of work and professionalism is changing too rapidly. In fact, it is estimated that today what one learns in college will in lots of ways be outdated before the student loans are paid. Even the so-called blue collar jobs have become more technical and require skills and certifications that didn't exist recently. Blue collar no more compatible low skill. To think that achieving a particular level of education will be adequate for every career today is short sighted and rooted in old fashioned ways of thinking.For those focused on teaching, training, and helping people learn this news is in fact good. It means your job never ends. Education is ongoing. Learning is lifelong. The ones who most have to reframe their thinking are the rest of us who need to wrap our arms round the reality that obsolescence will be nipping at our heels and that learning, relearning, and unlearning are actually constants. Complacency is the greatest threat to your careers. Growing familiar with changing skills and demands is the greatest benefit.Workforce growth is associated with sophisticated skill development. High levels of unemployment will stay unless you will find a reduction in talent shortage. In line with the U.S. Labor Department there is a lack of talent in the STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), healthcare, and business. One thing this recession has clarified is that economic recovery is not about recreating conditions whereby people can go back to their old jobs. It is a lot more about realizing that successful long-term employment is in preparing a workforce capable of performing in relevant jobs of the future. And that future is now.Companies that do the hiring are increasingly concerned about the lack of necessary skills available. This issue is now as egregious as other competitive issues such as location, transportation of products, and procurement of materials. The problem grows larger once you look out over the legions of unemployed and note that three-fourths of these only have a high school education. In order to be considered a player in the workforce of tomorrow you need to accept that a senior high school diploma isn't enough. Be ready to get higher ed, vocational ed, or other skill training nevertheless, you can and understand that learning will undoubtedly be continuous. For many folks this will be the only path to living the lifestyle we want.Schools should strat to get this message to students at a young age. We as a society need to shake loose this idea that education is something you do before living. Rather it really is what we do within living. A thriving, dynamic, and competitive nation is one that is always learning and adapting.