News-Record.com

NO. Many students cannot speak proper grammar. This is also reflected in their writing. They may be able to write a general idea but when it comes to using proper tense, singular subjects with singular verbs, punctuation and spelling no employer would think some students knew basic writing skills.

Why do students have to take college prep courses to get into GTCC if they are prepared?

Whether it is to the workforce or college everyone should know how to speak, read, and write properly.

The school system looks down their nose to Blue Collar work no matter how much is pays. They also discourage students from going in the military which is one of best ways to get your children on the adult track. You can make 60k a year being a mechanic or hairdresser. Instead, we encourage students to do something they enjoy "like music" without telling them that there few jobs available. Also, the system discourages students from moving to where the jobs are or to go out of state to get training that will make them a good living. Frequently, they think parents and students should accept scholarships to second rate schools rather than get the best education that can be obtained. No wonder, poor kids at the bottom of the class don't have goals when the goals of the top tier of students are so limited. Harvard takes 20 NC students each year. How many have come from Guilford County. Mayby 1 in the last 5 years. Most come from Raleigh or Charlotte area.

As a former personnel director, charged with hiring personnel, I can agree with the results of the survey. In far too many candidates, basic reading for comprehension, letter and report writing, speaking, and basic math skills are in short supply in most candidates, almost regardless of the job for which they are being considered. I, especially, noted in most candidates, whether high school or college educated, the lack of good grammar skills, both speaking and writing. In other words, they can't read or write good. :-) Using the right words and stringing them into a sentence properly is a challenge for most. I am certain that this is a lost art in our high schools today.

What the survey referred to as basic employability skills is also important. Many students graduate from high school and college without these skills, which I call work skills. They don't understand how to work and hold a job. Many of them are tardy and absence challenged. I'm not sure how schools could teach these skills, other than through development of the candidate's personal management skills. Some motivated candidates learn quickly on the job what the employer expects and desires from an employee, and others never get a clue. One of the best strategies for high school or college students is to get some work experience during the school year or summer. The work doesn't have to be challenging, but they need to use the opportunity for skill development which will enhance their chances down the road.

Insufficient work experience is an issue, but many high school and college graduates suffer from this problem. The problem that any recruiter faces is being able to visualize a candidate's ability to perform the functions and responsibilities of a given position. In the absence of readily defined skills and work experience, it is difficult for that recruiter to hire someone. A recruiter's charge is to hire the person whose skills and work experience most closely matches that of the requirements of the position. With some candidates, the recruiter just can't make the connection; the chasm is too wide.

Didn't the N&R have a story about success or lack thereof of Guilford County graduates into the UNC system? It seems like this may have been 6 to 12 months ago.

But to answer your question, my answer would be "NO" and "NO".

Are you asking about whether these graduates can pass a criminal background check or just pass in general?

We may have had such an article; I've only been at the paper two months so my knowledge of past stories doesn't go back far.

Josie,

can you find a put a link to the article?

See Doug Clark's "Off the Record" blog today. He mentions the article where UNC talks about students not being ready. Hopefully, he can pull up the link and put it here.

I did a post last November on Guilford County students and UNC performance:

http://blog.news-record.com/staff/offtherecord/archives/2005/11/guilford_county.html

Doug,

Thank you for providing the link.

Subject: Dudley Maintaince

Response to your blog

Look

Our school system spent over $200,000 + on a detailed quality process management system.
Based on the international quality standard ISO 9001:2000.

It included Maintenance. They were supposedly certified and accredited. ( The accreditation has been withdrawn )
They are no longer certified. It was a sham

Their WEB page continuously told us how prestigious and effective this was.

The school system is smoke and mirrors.

I bet it'd big on Terry's Resume.

David