” Applicants have to pass a spelling test, correct the grammar and sentence structure in a simple paragraph, do simple math equations involving percentages without a calculator and be able to look at a listing of numbers and determine if the answer is reasonable or not.”
You need to go talk to your local school system administrators. Algebra is no longer taught in public schools in Ga . Calculators are given to 2nd graders to “learn math”. Spell check and texting have replaced sentence structure and spelling.
This all happened because our business schools told industry to create nothing but pushbutton jobs that require no skill or training. I heard nothing but this push from several professors at one of the largest business schools in the country 25 years ago.
Guess what, it worked! What these profs will tell you is to develop your business model around totally unskilled labor, if not, you are chasing an out dated model.
If a business wants a particular skill set, they now have to pay to develop that in their own labor force. OJT is what it was called back in the day.
OJT is what it was called back in the day.”
I understand about OJT and a certain part of it is necessary in every industry and office situation. But I will not teach spelling, grammar and basic math to new employees nor was it taught in any company where I was ever employed.
Fortunately for my grandsons they attended private schools which insisted on math with no calculators and they learned to spell without spell check. I am fondly called the “queen of grammar”. Development of basic skills in all areas was also incorporated into their homework which has always been overseen and checked by their parents.
What I have found most interesting is that the best candidates for employment generally are Asian and all applicants from this source thus far have attended public schools. Perhaps having parents involved in the educational process and the push for excellence is one of the big differences.
Algebra isn’t taught in public schools in GA?