“Despite the economic slowdown and rising unemployment, 30% of employers surveyed around the world say they are still facing a labor shortage qualified work” (Katz 2008). Since this country entered a recession, many companies have had to downsize by laying off significant numbers of workers, forcing displaced workers to compete for lower-level, lower-paying positions. Some industries are still trying to fill a large number of positions, despite the economic crisis; Unfortunately, many displaced workers may either learn outdated skills or lack the skills needed to fill these new positions. For example, a licensed investment banker on Wall Street would not have the qualifications to work as an engineer or in the energy industries. “Even with U.S. unemployment at or near record levels in many areas, Manpower's research highlights the problems many employers face finding individuals with the right mix of skills, job-specific experience and training” (Business Journal 2009). Unemployment could therefore continue to rise in some regions if frustration pushes employers to recruit from other parts of the country rather than using local human capital. Many displaced workers may need to enroll in lifelong learning programs to update their skills or learn a new trade if they want to successfully re-enter the job market or even increase their wages decent. Secondary schools should use this crisis as an example to prepare students early; however, educational deficiencies can have increasingly devastating effects. Many will graduate from high school with deficits in knowledge-based skills and, as a result, will face the worst problems as they will have little or no exposure to the job market... middle of paper ...... if they attend post-secondary educational institutions. Even when they enter postsecondary institutions, their unfamiliarity with the job market may lead them to choose a program that will not produce growth in the field. Since not all high school graduates will attend college, states will need to create a committee that will provide students with at least a minimum of knowledge and survival skills-based programming, while addressing the technical and global nature of the economy. Job preparation programs and college programs should start as early as freshman year, but the problem is that many schools don't have enough resources to offer these incentives to their students. Furthermore, some groups have more limitations than others and will therefore continue to lag behind in the global marketplace until policymakers recognize that equal opportunity will actually boost the economy...