There are two significant problems with the labor market in the current recovery: labor surplus and labor shortage. High unemployment and poor job opportunities for adolescents: the surplus; employers unable to find the highly skilled workforce needed: the shortage. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Both jobs statistics indicate that an economic recovery is underway, but the employment recovery has been slower than the market recovery. In May 2013, the unemployment rate was 7.6% — 11.8 million people (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Of these nearly 12 million, 4.4 million were long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more). In manufacturing (durable and non-durable), one of the sectors experiencing the most pronounced shortages, employment was only slightly better than in the economy as a whole, with 6.8% unemployed – 1.1 million people. The states that showed the greatest improvement in employment were those with significant energy sectors (North Dakota and Texas, in particular). In other words, there is a consistently larger number of unemployed adults who were previously working and who are seeking opportunities in this economy: the labor surplus. Perhaps the best assessment of the labor shortage is the 2011 study by the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, Boiling Point: The Skills Gap in U.S. Manufacturing. The study highlights a shortfall of 600,000 skilled workers, mainly highly skilled production workers – “machinists, operators, craftsmen, distributors and technicians”. These highly skilled technicians are the new knowledge workers who require applied math and science, critical thinking skills, and an understanding of lean manufacturing and supply chain. Some have questioned whether the skills gap is as bad as the Manufacturing Institute report suggests, but analyzes by McKinsey and Company and others, as well as anecdotal reports from employers on the ground in places like North Carolina, attest to the reality of the gap. The only question is: how big is it? Let's see an example. In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a metropolitan area of ​​more than 250,000 people, Caterpillar is looking for CNC-trained machinists with an associate's degree; Deere-Hitachi is adding jobs that will require a bachelor's degree in welding, including robotics. In the energy sector, Siemens is developing a workforce with certified skills in welding, machining and robotic coatings. In the aeronautical sector, TIMCO Aviation requires FAA certified technicians. And there are new jobs coming in the bioprocessing industry with Herbalife. In this community, hundreds of jobs hang in the balance, dependent on the pipeline of advanced manufacturing technicians. A generation ago, only high school graduates who might have taken shop classes or grown up tinkering at home or on the farm had level access to jobs like Winston-Salem, N.C. Today, the pipeline of skilled workers created by the partnership between the community college and the employer who with advanced manufacturing based on science, mathematics and technology. The pipeline could start with stackable certificates in related grades. These certificates and diplomas will recognize students' experiential learning: previous work training, military training, badges or open online learning. They will have third-party certified credentials, such as approved skills certifications. 2013)