Formal Prediction: The Younger Generation

This is a difficult prediction.


We've (our society) managed to do something to our society that is very difficult to identify. It might be called a disease, or the 'dumbing down' of our younger generation. This trend is very disturbing, but is extremely noticeable.

In a lunch conversation today, (someone else) noted that young people today cannot even manage to make change without relying on a cash register. This is but a small example of the conversation I took part in today.

How to define it (the problem) is almost impossible. How can we change this?

It's a gamble. I admit it. But I think I may have an answer, even though I don't have the question.

I hypothesize that one of the problems is that we've lost the work ethic.

One of the proposals in my "second newdeal" program is to institute a program of service to our country (think the peace corps., but only inside the United States).

As a long term plan, I would propose that our nation institute a policy of three years of mandatory service after High School.

The concept of this service would be two-fold. First, to help our youth learn the joys of giving, and assisting others; Secondly, it would be structured so that the participants would learn many different skills that would help them in life.

I broke this policy of mandatory conscription into two parts, each with two sub parts.

Choice one: Choice of Military or Non-Military service.

Choice two: Post HS education (college/trade School) or no Post HS-Education.

These four options, together with the introductory program (which will start in 6th grade) will help our children get ready to start serving our country.

The non-military option is what I would call the basis of the country's new "training-corp", or what could be a successor to FDR's WPA. This training-corp is both a mandatory program (for new HS graduates), as well as for volunteers looking to learn a new skill or trade.

Reasons we need a new nationwide training-corp.

1. A large segment of our population is under-employed, or simply employed in the retail sector. Many of these people would greatly like to learn a skill that will give them a career, rather then a job.
2. The concept of service to our country can help to restore understanding of what our country represents to our next generation.
3. A training-corp has the ability to help in re-building our country.
4. Taking our HS graduates from their home city to another city for their training will help build survival and needed skills for living. It will also ensure that they are focused on their training, instead of possibly having negative interations with people from their home community.
   
5. Training our youth allows our nation to concentrate and train for the skills we will need to compete in the future. I believe that much of this training can be done in the old fashioned manner of apprenticeship to 'masters' in the field.
6. The service-corp is a paid training program. It is NOT forced (or unpaid) labor.
7. Chronic shortages in various professions, as well as in newly forming fields will need specialized training.
   

Training Examples:

1. HS graduates from the suburbs (say Westfield, NJ) who are not going to college or post-HS study, would travel in a group of 20-50 fellow students to a city (say Pittsburg), where they would be divided according to what professions they wish to study. At that point, they may be put together with a group to study, or practice as appropriate.
2. A group of students from a city (say Philadelphia,PA) might go to a ongoing construction project (say, expansion of a major highway to include a Heavy Rail transit line). Here they might learn skills such as operating heavy machinery, craft skills such as masonry or electrical work.
3. Students going to post-HS educational institutions will go for training periods during school breaks. Again, they will be going by groups, to appropriate (for their field) training opportunities. Someone wishing to work in accounting may work as a site accountant for a construction project. Someone in teaching may work in a community training project, and someone that wants to work in the computer field may first work to train senior citizens how to send and receive e-mail.