Those Bio-Chemists Would Have Jobs If Only They Got the Skills Needed in a Modern Economy

The Washington Post ran perhaps the best ever in-your-face article to the pundits who talk about the skills gap. Just to remind people, the skills gap story is that there all sorts of jobs that are going unfilled because employers just can't find people with the necessary skills. In this story, the problem with the economy is not a lack of demand, the problem is that unemployed workers just don't have the skills for the jobs that are available.

This one gets repeated endlessly in spite of the fact that there is no evidence for the story. There are no major sectors of the economy with large numbers of job openings relative to the number of unemployed workers, lengthening workweeks as firms seek to get more hours out of their existing workforce, or rapidly rising wages as firms try to bid away workers from other firms.

Lack of evidence never embarrassed a Washington pundit, but perhaps a compelling story will. A front page article in the Sunday Post reported that PhDs in chemistry and biology are having trouble getting jobs in their field. It reports that many are taking much lower paid positions outside of their field. Perhaps our pundits have a training program that will give these people the skills they need in today's economy.

...
written by Last Mover, July 08, 2012 3:02

But they do understand the skills gap. For every over qualified person in the labor force looking for work and can't find it, there's an under qualified pundit who does have a full time job. The two work in unison to create structural employment equilibrium.

...
written by Jay, July 08, 2012 7:23

This is sad. It's hard out there. The last field with promise is supposed to be science but even that is a struggle end unless you develop a hot IPO.

...
written by Kat, July 08, 2012 8:49

Well, even more important-- get the message to our president. But then again, didn't he name Tom Friedman as one of his favorites?

...
written by AlanInAZ, July 09, 2012 11:05

The Washington Post piece only showed how very narrow specialization can lead to lack of flexibility in employment opportunities. I worked in the chemical industry for forty years and PhD chemists dedicated to pure research were always vulnerable to cutbacks. In the end many went into business development or manufacturing support (assuming we still have manufacturing domestically).

...
written by fuller schmidt, July 09, 2012 12:43

Thanks for the answers to the structural unemployment pop quiz.

Recruiting charade shifts blame to job-seekers
written by Richard Genz, July 10, 2012 1:06

James Surowiecki does a great job of explaining the foundation of the skills mismatch story in 7-9-12 New Yorker (paywall). In one survey after another, employers are reporting that they can't find qualified workers. Surowiecki reveals the cynicism of their claims. Since demand is so weak, employers are in no hurry. Aided by keyword-screening software, they're holding out for the applicant whose resume is EXACTLY suited to their particular requirements. On-job training expenditures are way below historic levels.

Skills mismatch sounds like a nice chance for the surveyed businesspeople to get on the 1% bandwagon and blame the workforce for our problems. Surowiecki concludes the mismatch is indeed a myth. Employers in this slack economy "just aren't trying that hard," he concludes

So here's the strategy for politically attuned "job creators:" while waiting for business to pick up, might as well pass the time letting unemployed chumps churn out futile applications -- then complain.

Those Bio-Chemists Would Have Jobs If Only They Got the Skills Needed in a Modern Economy

About Beat the Press