Jobs and education for the 21st century

Jobs and Education for the 21st Century

The path to a brighter future lies in modernizing both jobs and education, writes Lynne Agress. With thousands of government workers currently furloughed during this extended shutdown, many—especially younger employees—must consider their future career paths. Likewise, recent high school and college graduates face the same challenge.

Patience is essential, as gaining new skills or retraining takes time. However, there is hope ahead, centered around the creation of meaningful jobs for the 21st century. These opportunities will span from unskilled to highly skilled roles and aim to support everyone in achieving a successful future.

Addressing Climate Change through Employment

Climate change represents one of the gravest threats to our planet's environment if unaddressed. From increasingly severe hurricanes and temperature shifts to floods, fires, and pollution, these challenges risk making our world uninhabitable for humans, plants, and wildlife alike.

Combating climate change can create thousands of new jobs across various fields such as research, analysis, construction, and policy-making. These positions will emerge as governments recognize and act upon the issue.

"Acting on climate change will save cities such as New York and parts of Florida from drowning and will save polar bears and other animals in the rapidly melting Arctic."

The Environmental Impact of Our Changing World

Climate change is part of broader environmental shifts, affecting even the air we breathe. A positive outcome from the COVID-19 pandemic was a notable reduction in pollution in major cities, largely due to fewer vehicles on the road during lockdowns.

Summary

Modernizing jobs and education, especially in fighting climate change, is vital for creating sustainable careers and protecting our planet for future generations.

The Baltimore Sun — 2025-11-08