JOB MARKET JITTERS

JOB MARKET JITTERS
In a speech entitled “Today’s Job Market” given by U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley he states that: “Extraordinary benefits, both tangible and intangible..that come from involvement in music and the arts and from the integration of arts education into the overall learning process. The intangibles are quite clear, as I know the students here understand. There is nothing that quite equals the satisfaction and joy that can come from involving yourself in the Act of painting, or of listening to, playing,` or composing a piece of music, or of being a part of a dance, a play or an orchestra. Very tangible and measurable benefits...higher on tests, better abstract reasoning, development of math, science and engineering skills. Drawing can help with writing. Songs and poetry can make facts more easily memorable. Drama can bring history to life. And creative movement can make other processes more understandable. There is also a clear relationship between increased use of the arts in teaching and learning and improved academic performance and test scores, increased attendance by students and teachers, and lower drop out rates. Sharing in learning about the arts also offers an important way to break down the barriers of all types–race, gender, economic. There is a great need for graphic designers, software producers, and other jobs that benefit from creative individuals with a background in the arts. As one CEO said”Today’s students need arts education now more than ever. Yes, they need the basics. But today, there are two sets of basics. The first - - reading, writing and math - - is simply the prerequisite for a second, more complex, equally vital collection of higher-level skills required to function well in today’s world. The arts provide an unparalleled opportunity to each of these high-level basics that are increasingly critical not only to tomorrow’s work force, but also today’s.” Speech by Richard W. Riley, U.S. Secretary of Education, Mar 19,` 1993, United States Department of Education Public Affairs The U.S. Department of Education concurred in a statement: “Children naturally sing, dance, draw and roleplay in an effort to understand the world around them and communicate their thoughts about it. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that when their caretakers engage them in these activities early in life on a regular basis, they are helping wire the children’s brains for successful learning.” U.S. Department of Education