The purpose of the Purdue Extension Work Ready program is to teach life skills necessary to increase the number of qualified applicants for the job openings in the United States. According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational employment is projected to grow by 5.2 percent from 2018 to 2028. This is a projected increase of 8.4 million jobs to 169.4 million jobs over the 2018-28 decade. This expansion reflects an annual growth of 0.5 percent. Employment in nearly all major occupational groups is projected to increase from 2018 to 2028. The service-providing sector will grow at a projected rate of 0.6 percent annually, slightly faster than the annual rate of 0.5 percent for industry employment overall. This growth is projected to add more than 7.6 million jobs, resulting in 136.8 million jobs in the service-providing sector by 2028.

An aging population and labor force will contribute to changes expected over the coming decade, including a continued decline in the labor force participation rate and continued growth in employment in healthcare and related industries and occupations. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to grow at much the same rate from 2018 to 2028 as it did in the previous decade; labor productivity is projected to accelerate slightly from the previous decade to an annual rate of 1.6 percent, higher than the previous decade's annual rate of 1.3 percent. The Work Ready curriculum can help address this growth by preparing applicants who have less experience and education to fill these jobs.

This curriculum is design for high school students and displaced adult workers.

The lessons included are:

• Plan For Life
• Personal Accountability
• Career Planning
• Social Media: Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
• Time Management
• Budgeting and Money Management
• Dress For Success
• Resumes and Cover Letters
• Interviewing Skills

Look Inside

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Meet the Author Webinar Series

Are you interested in learning more about the curriculum, straight from the author and a 4-H educator? Watch a webinar all about the curriculum, available here.