Issue Brief: The Career Readiness Gap

College and career awareness and readiness has been a persistent problem across southeast Michigan. This WIN report focuses on the challenges of career readiness and awareness in southeast Michigan, including potential opportunities and ramifications for the region’s residents, employers and economy.

While the region continues to show clear signs of recovery, employers are still facing major challenges including a lack of career ready applicants and extensive pending workforce retirements. Regarding the latter, 58,000 baby boomers per year will reach retirement over the next 15 years, including in key fields as: information technology, health care, and engineering and design. Overcoming these barriers to continued economic growth will require a greater alignment between what is being taught in schools and what qualifications are required by employers. Also key: greater education of students and their parents, including as far back as middle school, as to the job opportunities of the future.