210: Educational Trends Not Matching Industry Needs

<p>Japan has a very efficient education system around the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic.  There was an effort to bridge the creativity gap with other countries but that was abandoned.  Where are we with the gap between what industry needs and what the education system is producing? </p> <p> </p> <p>Japanese education includes exciting things like adults screaming abuse, using threatening words, kids mouthing slogans at mass rallies and making over $2 million in a week. </p> <p> </p> <p>We know that Japan has a well established escalator system for work and education.  Enter on the correct ground floor and with the passing of time and effort, you get out at the top.  Get accepted into the right elementary school and you will get into the right middle school, the right high school and then the right university.  You graduate and get a job at the right company and then over decades of grind work your way up to the top.</p> <p> </p> <p>Japan still loves rote learning and parents will pay cram schools to get their kids fully tuned up and on to the education escalator.  I was watching a programme on television about a week long training camp for aspirant future captains of industry.  The programme focused on 6th year elementary students trying to get into the all important Middle School of their choice.  They had their hachimaki (headbands), a Japanese symbol of resolute martial spirit and determination.  They lived in small groups, working hard all day taking tests and doing their homework together at night.</p> <p> </p> <p>The televised scenes showed their adult instructors yelling at them to get serious or get out.  Their insufficient efforts drew harsh rebukes and extended tirades.  If you were not matching the regime’s expectations, you were bluntly told to get serious or leave now.  You are twelve years old.</p> <p> </p> <p>The amazing thing was there were 2600 kids on this training camp.  The organisers were also adept at psychological indoctrination using mass rally techniques of getting everyone to