EARTH: Highlights 2011 - Jobs, jobs everywhere, but not enough people to fill them

The "Big Crew Change" is upon us. From academia to industry, a generation of geoscientists is retiring at an unsustainable rate. In almost all technical fields, especially the geosciences, the remaining (and incoming) workforce is not nearly large enough to fill the void. This transition marks a time of great transformation, and in this transformation will come great opportunities for those workers who are nimble, innovative, and focused. However, is the upcoming generation of geoscientists prepared to fill this void? And are enough experienced geoscientists passing along their valuable knowledge? Find out in the December issue of EARTH Magazine.

Data from the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) Geoscience Workforce program reveals that the transition has already started in the federal geoscience workforce, especially in the non-regulatory agencies like the U.S. Geological Survey and NOAA. And demographics indicate that the shift toward a new workforce is steadily percolating through both industry and academia. How will this great change affect the world we live in? Will valuable expertise be lost as more and more geoscientists retire without passing on their tried-and-true knowledge? To find out more about this featured story visit http://www.earthmagazine.org/earth/article/5dd-7db-c-2.

Also in this month's issue of EARTH Magazine, remember the glory of the American Space Shuttle program, rediscover the top paleontology finds of 2011, and learn the truth about extreme weather in Europe. The December issue of EARTH Magazine is available online here and at http://www.earthmagazine.org/digital/.

Provided by American Geological Institute