THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

Knowledge Economy: A knowledge economy is one where knowledge is the basis for economic growth. Virtually every field in the global economy is a "knowledge economy job" and can be described as "the factory of the mind."  Meaning, instead of a machine building a product, an employee's mind contributes significantly to the end product.  Therefore, emphasis on hiring is focused on what knowledge an employee brings to the company and thereby advancing its ability to produce.  Gone are the days where a job required you to complete a series of predictable paths to complete your responsibilities.  Today, even manufacturers are requiring skills consistent with the knowledge economy. 

Knowledge Economy Skills	Manufacturing Skills
Critical Thinking	Critical Thinking
Written/Verbal	Reading Comprehension
Active Learning/Listening	Active Listening
Complex Problem Solving	Speaking
Management of Personal Resources	Monitoring
Owning Results	Operation Monitoring
Negotiation	Writing
Time Management	Quality Control Analysis
Operations Analysis	Complex Problem Solving
Service Orientation	Willingness to Work
Judgment & Decision Making	Management of Personal Resources

The skills necessary for success in our knowledge economy, whether pursuing science, technology, engineering or mathematics OR advance manufacturing OR any other field are the same.  Moreover, while schools, colleges, and universities provide opportunities to get a foundation in these skill areas, it will largely be up to you the student to seek out opportunities to fully develop these skills.  If you do accept your ownership of your personal, academic, and professional development, you will likely also find your passion. Additionally, while success in high school may appear to be a good predictor of success in college, it actually is not.  In fact, SAT scores have a low predictive validity for future college success.  The primary reason we use them is because they are cheap and they are all we've got.  The reason why high school success doesn't necessarily translate into college success is because in high school you, the student, are the product of education.  However, in college, you are the consumer of education.  High school is a passive learning experience and college, if done correctly, is an active learning experience.  The problem is that the skills to be a successful passive learner (memorization, following directions, testing strategies, etc.) are not the same as the skills needed to be a successful consumer of education (complex reasoning, active learning, active listening, problem solving, management of personal resources, etc.).  Finally, it cannot be overstated that finding your passion is essential to your future success!  This is the situation you are facing in the knowledge economy and it creates a BIG problem for you as future college student and professional which, if actively used, MyCollegeMax will help you overcome!