SENTINEL WATCH January 19, 2004 Issue

A culture of change—and growth

By Stephen T. Gray

In The Early '80s, harsh change swept the Midwestern region of the United States. Japanese cars and steel were winning US markets, and US firms were floundering. Jobs poured from Midwest factories into the South, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim. Factory closings became standard fare on the news, as decades of prosperity and job security ebbed away.

I was a turning point in America—the first wave of a sea change that continues today. A big part of it was the realization that individuals could no longer rely on institutions to take care of them. When giant companies could be tossed like corks in the global economy—shedding plants, office buildings, and workers to survive—the days of guaranteed security were over.

Change is no longer a rare occurrence; it's now a constant. We can no longer expect to stay with one company for a lifetime. Young workers can expect to change jobs an average of seven times or more. The question is no longer, "Can I find an employer who will take good care of me?" Instead, it's "What skills can I develop to carry me forward, no matter where I work?"