Jobs and Education for the 21st Century
The path to a brighter future lies in modernizing both jobs and education, writes Lynne Agress. As thousands of government workers remain unemployed during this prolonged shutdown, many—especially younger workers—must consider their future employment prospects. Current high school and college graduates face similar challenges.
Patience is essential, as training and retraining require time. However, there is hope ahead, with jobs designed for the 21st century. These opportunities span from unskilled to highly skilled roles, aimed at ensuring a successful future for all.
Addressing Climate Change through Employment
One of the greatest threats to our global environment is climate change, which brings devastating hurricanes, extreme temperature shifts, floods, fires, and pollution. Without action, the planet may become uninhabitable for humans, plants, and animals.
To combat these challenges, thousands of new positions could open across various sectors once governments acknowledge the issue. These include:
- Research jobs
- Analyst roles
- Construction careers
- Policy-making positions
Taking action would help protect cities like New York and regions of Florida from flooding and preserve wildlife such as polar bears in the rapidly melting Arctic.
"Acting on climate change will save cities such as New York and parts of Florida from drowning and will save polar bears and other animals in the rapidly melting Arctic."
Environmental Changes and Positive Developments
Climate change is part of broader environmental shifts, including air quality concerns. One positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic was reduced pollution in major cities due to fewer vehicles on the road.
"A positive result of COVID-19 was that with fewer people driving cars and trucks to work, there was less pollution in several major cities."
Modernizing jobs and education must focus on these critical areas to build a resilient and prosperous future.
Author's summary: Modernizing education and expanding 21st-century jobs, especially in climate-related fields, is essential for a sustainable and successful future amid environmental challenges.
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- Jobs and education for the 21st century | READER COMMENTARY