A look back…

Think back to what it was like when your parents or grandparents were working. In the past…

• there were two kinds of workers: the small minority who “did the thinking,” and the vast majority who just “did what they were told.” You’ve probably heard the expression, “Check your brain in at the door -- you aren’t going to need it on this job.” Most jobs were simply repetitive tasks. Folks did their repetitive jobs for thirty years and in reward got a nice pension and a gold watch.

• there wasn’t a great variety of jobs. The world of work was a series of well-defined jobs: professional jobs like doctor, lawyer, teacher, nurse, and unskilled jobs like assembly line worker and laborer.

• a four-year college degree virtually guaranteed success in the workplace.

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A look back…into the workplace of the past
The workplace of today
A look into the future
How does the nature of work affect the planning process?
Links relating to the world of work