"Learning to learn is the most important job skill for the 21st century." This was the message David Bolt, Executive Producer of THE DIGITAL DIVIDE PBS mini-series, delivered to the Boise City Club at one of four town meetings sponsored by IdahoPTV. Additional meetings were held in Horseshoe Bend, Council, and Kellogg. In the paradigm for the 20th century, you went to school, learned a trade or profession, and then practiced it for the balance of your working career. In the 21st century, workers can expect to have to continually update or completely retool their job skills. Today 70% of all jobs require computer skills.

Loggers at a Horseshoe Bend town meeting, learned from Spencer LaChance of Meridian Job Service that the construction industry will be a source of job growth in the next decade because today the average age of construction workers is 50. There is also a shortage of machinists, and all these careers have computer-dependent elements.

In Council, Counselor Fran Ogden showed students and adults how to present themselves to potential employers via a portfolio which includes a resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, and copies of certificates, awards and honors.

All town meetings focused on the local and statewide job market forecast for the next decade, necessary job skills, and how to get and pay for training.

Kellogg residents discussed the impact of digital cameras on silver mining. Digital cameras don't use silver-backed film, and as the technology advances and becomes cheaper, jobs in the Silver Valley could be negatively impacted. Adult learners from the Adult Basic Education center shared their success stories, and participants discussed ways to bring more educational opportunities to the Silver Valley.

Other presenters throughout the state were Kathryn Tacke, Bob Wright, Vicki Schab, Candace Kahler, Jennifer Pirtle, and Kimber Kelley, all of the Idaho Department of Labor; from Centers for Workforce Training: Burton Waite, Boise State University, Robert Ketchum, North Idaho College, and Mike Woodhead, Treasure Valley Community College; Nicole Dovel, Horseshoe Bend Gem Communities; John Schiewe and Jo Marr, Horseshoe Bend High School; Debbie Johannsen and Rex Fairfield, Adult Basic Education.