The Economist [03] | Lifelong learning 终身学习 Part 2

The classic model of education—a burst at the start and top-ups through company training—is breaking down. One reason is the need for new, and constantly updated, skills. Manufacturing increasingly calls for brain work rather than metal-bashing. The share of the American workforce employed in routine office jobs declined from 25.5% to 21% between 1996 and 2015. The single, stable career has gone the way of the Rolodex.

Pushing people into ever-higher levels of formal education at the start of their lives is not the way to cope. Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year college degree prepares students very well for a good job. Although a vocational education promises that vital first hire, those with specialised training tend to withdraw from the labour force earlier than those with general education—perhaps because they are less adaptable.

At the same time on-the-job training is shrinking. In America and Britain it has fallen by roughly half in the past two decades. Self-employment is spreading, leaving more people to take responsibility for their own skills. Taking time out later in life to pursue a formal qualification is an option, but it costs money and most colleges are geared towards youngsters.

The classic model of education[传统的教育模式]—a burst[强化] at the start and top-ups[补足]  through company training—is breaking down[失效]. 在青少年时强化学习，之后通过公司培训加以补充，这种传统的教育模式正在失效。

One reason is the need for new, and constantly updated, skills. 原因之一是需要新的技能，而且还要不断更新。

Manufacturing increasingly calls for[需要] brain work [脑力劳动]rather than metal-bashing[体力劳动]. 制造业越来越多地需要脑力而非蛮力。

【call for】

to need or deserve a particular action, remark, or quality需要；值得；应该

This calls for a celebration!这值得庆祝一下！

It's the sort of work that calls for a high level of concentration.这类工作需要注意力高度集中。

He told you that you were an idiot? Well, I don't think that was called for (= I think it was rude and not deserved)!他说你是白痴？那么，我觉得真是太不应该了！

The share of the American workforce employed in routine office jobs[常规办公职位] declined from 25.5% to 21% between 1996 and 2015. 从1996年到2015年，常规办公职位在美国劳动力中所占的比例从25.5%下降到21%。

The single, stable career has gone the way of the Rolodex. 单一稳定的职业生涯已经像旋转式名片夹一样一去不返了。

Pushing people into ever-higher levels of formal education at the start of their lives[人生初期] is not the way to cope[解决]. 在人生初期让人们接受更高程度的正规教育并非解决之道。

【cope】

verb  UK   /kəʊp/  US   /koʊp/

to deal successfully with a difficult situation（成功地）对付，应付，处理

It must be really hard to cope with three young children and a job.要照顾3个小孩还要工作肯定不容易。

It's only been a year since he died - how's she coping?我的车轮在湿滑的路面上总打滑。

He had so much pressure on him in his job that eventually he just couldn't cope.他工作压力太大，最后便扛不住了。

Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year college degree prepares students very well for a good job. 仅有16%的美国人认为四年的大学教育足以让学生找到一份好工作。

Although a vocational education[职业教育] promises[确保] that vital first hire[重要的第一份工作], those with specialised training tend to[倾向于] withdraw from[退出] the labour force earlier than those with general education—perhaps because they are less adaptable. 尽管职业教育能确保找到至关重要的第一份工作，但接受专门培训的人往往比接受普通教育的人更早退出劳动大军，可能是因为前者适应性较弱。

At the same time on-the-job training[在职培训] is shrinking[缩小].与此同时，在职培训也在萎缩。

【shrink】

verb UK   /ʃrɪŋk/  US   /ʃrɪŋk/  shrank, shrunk

to become smaller, or to make something smaller（使）缩小，（使）变小

Your sweater will shrink if you wash it at too high a temperature.用温度过高的水洗毛衣，毛衣会缩水。

The company's profits have shrunk from $5.5 million to $1.25 million.公司利润从550万英镑减少到了125万英镑。

The productivity improvements have shrunk our costs by 25 percent.生产率的提高使我们的成本下降了25%。

In America and Britain it has fallen by roughly half in the past two decades. 在美国和英国，在职培训在过去20年里下降了大概一半。

Self-employment is spreading, leaving more people to take responsibility for their own skills.自雇人群正在增多，令更多的人要为自己的技能负责。

Taking time out later in life[在年纪较大的时候] to pursue a formal qualification[一个正规的资质] is an option, but it costs money and most colleges are geared towards[适合于] youngsters。在年纪较大的时候抽出时间获得一个正规的资质是一种选择，但要投入成本，而且大多数院校是针对年轻人开设的。

【gear sth towards/to  sb/sth 】

to design or organize something so that it is suitable for a particular purpose, situation, or group of people使适合于…；使与…相适应

Most public places are simply not geared to the needs of people with disabilities.大多数公共场所根本不能适应残疾人的需要。

The workshops are geared towards helping people to become more employable.研习班旨在帮助学员提高就业能力。

These advertisements are geared towards a younger audience.这些广告的对象是年轻的观众。

The classic model of education[传统的教育模式]—a burst[强化] at the start and top-ups[补足]  through company training—is breaking down[失效]. One reason is the need for new, and constantly updated, skills. Manufacturing increasingly calls for[需要] brain work [脑力劳动]rather than metal-bashing[体力劳动]. The share of the American workforce employed in routine office jobs[常规办公职位] declined from 25.5% to 21% between 1996 and 2015. The single, stable career has gone the way of the Rolodex.

在青少年时强化学习，之后通过公司培训加以补充，这种传统的教育模式正在失效。原因之一是需要新的技能，而且还要不断更新。制造业越来越多地需要脑力而非蛮力。

从1996年到2015年，常规办公职位在美国劳动力中所占的比例从25.5%下降到21%。单一稳定的职业生涯已经像旋转式名片夹一样一去不返了。

Pushing people into ever-higher levels of formal education at the start of their lives[人生初期] is not the way to cope[解决]. Just 16% of Americans think that a four-year college degree prepares students very well for a good job. Although a vocational education[职业教育] promises[确保] that vital first hire[重要的第一份工作], those with specialised training tend to[倾向于] withdraw from[退出] the labour force earlier than those with general education—perhaps because they are less adaptable.

在人生初期让人们接受更高程度的正规教育并非解决之道。仅有16%的美国人认为四年的大学教育足以让学生找到一份好工作。尽管职业教育能确保找到至关重要的第一份工作，但接受专门培训的人往往比接受普通教育的人更早退出劳动大军，可能是因为前者适应性较弱。

At the same time on-the-job training[在职培训] is shrinking[缩小]. In America and Britain it has fallen by roughly half in the past two decades. Self-employment is spreading, leaving more people to take responsibility for their own skills. Taking time out later in life[在年纪较大的时候] to pursue a formal qualification[一个正规的资质] is an option, but it costs money and most colleges are geared towards[适合于] youngsters.

与此同时，在职培训也在萎缩。在美国和英国，在职培训在过去20年里下降了大概一半。自雇人群正在增多，令更多的人要为自己的技能负责。 在年纪较大的时候抽出时间获得一个正规的资质是一种选择，但要投入成本，而且大多数院校是针对年轻人开设的。

原文选自《经济学人》 2017年1月14日 Leaders 版块 Lifelong Learning文章

单词释义来源：剑桥字典网页版  https://dictionary.cambridge.org

原文链接：https://gbr.economist.com/articles/view/5878aaadffe2d6434a24290c/en_GB/zh_CN

翻译链接：https://gbr.economist.com/articles/view/5878aaadffe2d6434a24290c/zh_CN/en_GB

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