(NAPS)—Economic mobility—the ability of each new generation to do as well or better as the preceding one—has declined 45 percent for Americans over the past several decades, according to the Brookings Institution. Numerous factors, including technological advances and globalization, have contributed to this decline. With the anticipated impact of AI on jobs, this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years. But there can be a solution.
What Can Be Done
To help equip Generation Z and Gen Alpha students with durable skills needed to succeed in a world where AI and automation make it more difficult to get that first job, or even have a job in occupations replaced by technology, Junior Achievement USA (JA), a world leader in experiential learning, created Education for What’s Next.
“We can’t afford to wait to see how AI impacts jobs to start preparing students for what comes next,” said Junior Achievement USA CEO Jack Harris. “What we know is that durable skills, like critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and continuous learning, are going to be essential to navigate our rapidly changing economy. Junior Achievement has a long track record of providing students with those skills, and we are looking for partners to ensure this challenge is being tackled on a systemic level.”
As part of its new strategy, Junior Achievement promotes life experiences linked to increased economic mobility. According to the Camber Collective, these include mentorship during adolescence, pursuing education or training past high school, obtaining a college degree in a high-demand field, and starting a business. Recent research by Ipsos of Gen Y & Z Junior Achievement Alumni (former JA students) shows majorities of alumni credit Junior Achievement for influencing their decisions related to these kinds of life experiences.
