Modelling long-term COVID-19 impacts on the U.S. workforce of 2029

While ensuring employment opportunities is critical for global progress and stability, workers are now subject to several disruptive trends, including automation, rapid changes in technology and skill requirements, and transitions to low-carbon energy production. Yet, these trends seem almost insignificant compared to labor impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While much has been written about the pandemic’s short-term impacts, this study analyzes anticipated long-term impacts on the labor force of 2029 by comparing original 2029 labor projections to special COVID-adjusted projections recently published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results show that future demand for nearly every type of labor skill and knowledge will increase, while the nature of work shifts from physical to more cognitive activities. Of the nearly three million jobs projected to disappear by 2029 due to COVID, over 91% are among workers without a bachelor’s degree. Among workers with a degree demand shifts primarily from business-related degrees to computer and STEM degrees. Results further show that the socialness of labor, which is important for both innovation and productivity, increases in many more industries than it decreases. Finally, COVID will likely accelerate the adoption of teleworking and slightly decrease the rate of workforce automation. These impacts, combined with a shift to more cognitive worker activities, will likely impact the nature of workforce health and safety with less focus on physical injuries and more on illnesses related to sedentary lifestyles. Overall, results suggest that future workers will need to engage more often in training and skill acquisition, requiring life-long learning and skill maintenance strategies.

Explaining continuous improvement

The final chapter synthesizes the arguments presented over the course of the book by suggesting that skill execution continues to be governed by conscious processes even after performers have attained a high level of expertise. It argues that skill-focused attention is necessary if experts are to eschew proceduralization and react flexibly to ‘crises’ and fine-grained changes in situational demands. In doing so, it discusses the role played by conscious control, reflection, and bodily awareness in maintaining performance proficiency. It suggests that skill maintenance and continuous improvement are underpinned by the use of both automated procedures (acknowledging that these are inherently active and flexible) and metacognitive knowledge. The chapter concludes by briefly considering how skill-focused attention needs to be applied in both training and performance contexts in order to facilitate continuous improvement.

Understanding skill decay and skill maintenance in first responders

To carry out their roles, first responders need to have appropriate skills. It is important to identify and train in key skills appropriate for the tasks that first responders will perform. Once these skills have been acquired, they need to be maintained otherwise they will decay to the point where performance of the skill is no longer acceptable. This means that emergency services organisations need programs that appropriately maintain the skills of their volunteers and employees. To deliver cost-effective training, these organisations need a good understanding of what key skills are required for tasks that are regularly performed, why and how quickly these skills decay and how these skills can be maintained. To help emergency services organisations better understand these important concepts, this paper reviews relevant literature on skill decay and skill maintenance. Task decomposition methods and training needs analysis are introduced to assist organisations determine what key skills they require. This provides information to make sound, evidence-based decisions about recurrent training programs that can maintain the skills required by first responders and retain efficacy in the organisation.

Cohort study of hospitalists’ procedural skills: baseline competence and durability after simulation-based training

ObjectivesHospitalists are expected to be competent in performing bedside procedures, which are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A national decline in procedures performed by hospitalists has prompted questions about their procedural competency. Additionally, though simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) has been shown to be effective among trainees whether this approach has enduring benefits for independent practitioners who already have experience is unknown. We aimed to assess the baseline procedural skill of hospitalists already credentialed to perform procedures. We hypothesised that simulation-based training of hospitalists would result in durable skill gains after several months.DesignProspective cohort study with pretraining and post-training measurements.SettingSingle, large, urban academic medical centre in the USA.ParticipantsTwenty-two out of 38 eligible participants defined as hospitalists working on teaching services where they would supervise trainees performing procedures.InterventionsOne-on-one, 60 min SBML of lumbar puncture (LP) and abdominal paracentesis (AP).Primary and secondary outcome measuresOur primary outcome was the percentage of hospitalists obtaining minimum passing scores (MPS) on LP and AP checklists; our secondary outcomes were average checklist scores and self-reported confidence.ResultsAt baseline, only 16% hospitalists met or exceeded the MPS for LP and 32% for AP. Immediately after SBML, 100% of hospitalists reached this threshold. Reassessment an average of 7 months later revealed that only 40% of hospitalists achieved the MPS. Confidence increased initially after training but declined over time.ConclusionsHospitalists may be performing invasive bedside procedures without demonstration of adequate skill. A single evidence-based training intervention was insufficient to sustain skills for the majority of hospitalists over a short period of time. More stringent practices for certifying hospitalists who perform risky procedures are warranted, as well as mechanisms to support skill maintenance, such as periodic simulation-based training and assessment.

Session 10

This chapter builds on previous chapters that covered acceptance, defusion, mindfulness, self-as-context, and values in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The emphasis in therapy now turns to using values as a foundation for behavior change and skill maintenance. It is possible that clients did not fully grasp the function of values in the previous session, so it is worth reviewing values again. The chapter also provides an outline for discussing how to structure values-consistent behavioral commitments. Some areas to cover in this discussion include emphasizing that any size step is great as long as it is a step in a valued direction, not basing the activity on distress level, and being present while engaging in the activity.

Using the Virtual–Representational–Abstract With Overlearning Instructional Sequence to Students With Disabilities in Mathematics

While mathematics education is key to the post-school outcomes of students with disabilities, it has received less attention in research and practice compared with other aspects of educating this population. Skill maintenance is particularly crucial in mathematics because students build upon prior knowledge across grade levels. They also need to be able to apply mathematical skills in everyday life. Hence, this study utilized a multiple probe across-participants single-case experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual–representational–abstract (VRA) with overlearning instructional sequence in teaching multiplication and supporting its maintenance among three students with disabilities. For each student, a functional relation existed between the VRA with overlearning instructional sequence and accuracy of solving multiplication problems. Students also maintained the skill up to 8 weeks after the intervention.