New Book Says America's Economic Dominance Is Threatened by Crushing Skilled Labor Shortage

CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 7,000,000 jobs go unfilled every day. That number will double in the next six years to 14 million. A new book warns of the jobs cliff -- and reveals a comprehensive, proven solution to stave off an economic meltdown.

"America is at a crucial employment tipping point – trillions of dollars in economic growth as well as the survival of millions of businesses and careers are at stake," notes labor expert Edward Gordon. "The U.S. and the world are locked into a structural labor market race between advanced technology on one side and demographics and education on the other. By the end of this decade, many businesses will no longer have the talent needed to sustain themselves."

Gordon (www.imperialcorp.com) has been the Paul Revere of the next revolution, one involving jobs and America's ability to position itself for the next great economic era.  For much of the past two decades, Gordon has consulted with corporate leaders, educators, government agencies, and NGOs, sounding the alarm bell of a growing job-skill disconnect. But these dire warnings, though largely unheeded, are now coming true.

His newest book, Future Jobs: Solving the Employment and Skills Crisis (Praeger), offers a thorough look at the converging forces pushing America over a talent cliff. He presents a comprehensive, proven solution that is nothing short of revolutionary, in terms of how business and government will work together, how education will be reformed, and how workers will determine their career fate.

"We've entered a new era, where we will no longer see well-paying, low-skilled or semi-skilled blue-collar factory or service jobs filled by high school graduates or even dropouts," says Gordon.  "We're in a highly-skilled age, where knowledge labor rules."

Gordon provides dozens of examples of how communities, companies, colleges, and governments are coming together to successfully bridge the job skills gap and talent disconnect with RETAINs (Regional Talent Innovation Networks). He also identifies the "hot jobs" of the current decade and the requisite skills and educational preparation needed to obtain them.

"The talent crunch means millions of young and older workers will remain unemployable or trapped in low-paying jobs," concludes Gordon. "America's dominance in IT, aerospace, biosciences, and high-tech industries is seriously threatened. The time for action is today, before other skilled foreign competitors take away our future."

Contact: Media Connect Brian Feinblum brian.feinblum@finnpartners.com

SOURCE Edward Gordon

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http://www.imperialcorp.com