Education, adaptability crucial for workers to be successful in new economy

Although the recession is finally easing, Hoosiers are not out of the woods.

That will require rethinking the relationship between worker and job — replacing an outdated formula with one that addresses the 21st century, according to IU economist Jerry Conover.

The problem is that the old work ethic is ingrained in the Hoosier psyche. “It’s a multi-generational thing,” Conover said, especially in cities with a high concentration of auto manufacturing plants. “People were pretty sure that once they got out of high school, they’d know somebody at the factory and get on there — and 40 years later, or even 30, retire with a good pension. ... A vacation home someplace and a boat on the lake.”