I've worked across a variety of industries, from warehouses to factories to big government bureaucracies to startups. I'd argue that the problem isn't that people don't have the curiosity to become lifelong learners. Almost everyone is enthusiastic about something (most people have hobbies they spend their own time on). The problem is that their workplace (and to some extent, society) don't reward curiosity.
If you're a programmer who works at startups, it's easy to think of learning as part of the job -- your tools and conditions are constantly shifting, which makes learning part of the work culture.
Unfortunately, most industries don't work that way. At a warehouse, you do the same thing from the first day you start to the day you leave. It's much the same in the government and at other large bureaucracies.
The problem here isn't with our educational system, it's with the modes in which we work. And to be honest, that's fine. Most people who work in industries that have static work conditions optimize for other things, like family time. It's also very hard to see outside of your silo and imagine a future where you're doing different work.
Most people are optimizing their life for right now, not their theoretical career 10 years out. Unfortunately, there are fewer stable lifelong factory jobs every year. This forces people to move outside their comfort zone, which makes lifelong learning necessary.
I don't have an answer to the problem, but some potential solutions are:
* Reward employees for taking time outside of work to learn skills
* Show people examples of others like them who have learned for motivation
* Find something a person is really interested in (not because it's a "valuable skill", but just because they think it's cool), and help them take small steps to start learning it
Basically, I think it's possible to help people transition to new careers further into their lives than you do. I don't think it's ever too late for someone to learn a new skill, if they have the right incentives.
If you're a programmer who works at startups, it's easy to think of learning as part of the job -- your tools and conditions are constantly shifting, which makes learning part of the work culture.
Unfortunately, most industries don't work that way. At a warehouse, you do the same thing from the first day you start to the day you leave. It's much the same in the government and at other large bureaucracies.
The problem here isn't with our educational system, it's with the modes in which we work. And to be honest, that's fine. Most people who work in industries that have static work conditions optimize for other things, like family time. It's also very hard to see outside of your silo and imagine a future where you're doing different work.
Most people are optimizing their life for right now, not their theoretical career 10 years out. Unfortunately, there are fewer stable lifelong factory jobs every year. This forces people to move outside their comfort zone, which makes lifelong learning necessary.
I don't have an answer to the problem, but some potential solutions are:
* Reward employees for taking time outside of work to learn skills
* Show people examples of others like them who have learned for motivation
* Find something a person is really interested in (not because it's a "valuable skill", but just because they think it's cool), and help them take small steps to start learning it
Basically, I think it's possible to help people transition to new careers further into their lives than you do. I don't think it's ever too late for someone to learn a new skill, if they have the right incentives.