Book Review: (Re)Defining the Goal: The True Path to Career Readiness in the 21st Century

Abstract

In (Re)Defining the Goal: The True Path to Career Readiness in the 21st Century, author Kevin Fleming presents his an extensively researched approach for deconstructing the prevalent “one-size-fits-all” education paradigm. The book provides a new perspective with replicable strategies and outlines 6 proven steps to help young people thrive in the evolving workforce. Youth development practitioners will find the topics discussed relevant and practical as they guide their clientele toward personality-aligned careers and not just toward college.

The Validity and Reliability of Career Readiness Instruments for Vocational High School Students

“…The statistical analysis of suitability used MNSQ clothing parameters with an ideal range (+0.5 to +1.5), ZSTD clothing with an ideal range (-2.0 to +2.0) to find suitability of items and people (Sumintono & Widhiarso, 2014). The scale development is based on the synthesis of several experts who discuss career readiness (Conley, 2010;Curry & Milsom, 2017;Fleming, 2016). The blueprint of the scale developed is as follows: Based on the operational definition described above, the statement items are developed based on the three aspects of career readiness, namely cognitive, affective and psychomotor.…”

A Case Study of Innovative Workplace Development Programming at Community Colleges in the United States

“…workplace and expectations of employers, the notion that a bachelor's degree is the sole pathway to sustainable employment and a middle-class life in the United States has become obsolete. Many (e.g., Fleming, 2016) have argued that employers are now seeking employees with technical skills, digital literacy, and the ability to analyze and think critically, capabilities that do not necessarily require a postsecondary degree. Because of the lingering economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including rising inflation globally, many adults, including English-language learners, are seeking short-term certificate or credentialing programs because their financial realities necessitate entering the workplace and earning a living wage as quickly as possible.…”

“…These realities have become more intense in urban areas in the United States where the cost of living has skyrocketed; trained professionals, particularly in healthcare and education, are in high demand; and lower-skills jobs that pay minimum wage are no longer tenable to support a family. Fleming (2016) argued that higher education alone as the key to a middle-class life and sustainable employment is now obsolete because the paradigm of earning a bachelor's degree, working in the same company, and retiring with the gold watch has long since passed. As the student debt crisis in America attests, many college graduates are over-educated yet underemployed and stymied by overwhelming debt.…”