Trend+3

=Trend 3= Social and intellectual capital will become economic drivers, intensifying competition for well-educated people. (Industrial Age -+ Global Knowledge/Information Age)

__**External Factors**__

1. Technology has integrated into just about every aspect of life. Companies are looking for qualified students who can use new technologies comfortably and effectively.

2. Sustainability, the global economic crisis, and evolving technologies are in need of well educated and creative thinkers, who can solve the problems and challenges that are associated with them.

3. Organizations are beginning to rely on workers, who have the social and intellectual capacities to work in diverse settings to problem solve the challenges of the Information Age.

4. Textile mills have been outsourced to other countries and have been replaced with companies that rely on tech savvy individuals, who are able to work in teams to meet the demands of their respective industries.

5.

__**Internal Factors**__

1. Because technology has integrated itself into most aspects of daily life, schools are now challenged to integrate technology into the school curriculum to meet the demands of student interests and to prepare them for the Information Age. New South Wales makes technology available to all of its students with laptops and adequate desktops for each classroom.

2. Schools in New South Wales have increased the age limit of students who want to drop out to 17 yrs old. The increase in age now forces many students to continue their education to years 11 and 12.

3. Schools in New South Wales place a heavy emphasis on gifted/talented students through various enrichment programs. Enrichment programs help to promote extended learning for students, who can compete against other brilliant students from other countries.

4. Schools in New South Wales also place an emphasis on vocational studies with an extra focus on general education. Students, who attend TAFE, also receive compulsory subjects, such as, math and language. Even though students are receiving a vocational education, they will enter the workforce with a good education in all subjects.

5. Loftus Public School uses test data to improve instruction for students at their school. The culture of the school is data driven and its success is documented in its three year plan.