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There is a lot of concern in educational circles that American students are not ready to compete on a global level. With advancements in technology, the world is becoming smaller and more competitive. What must we do to prepare the next generation so that they are ready to take on the world?

On Thursday, Jackie Jones, Chair of the Department of Multimedia Journalism at Morgan State University and Dennis Bonilla, Executive Dean at the School of Information Systems and Technology at the University of Phoenix joined Roland Martin on “NewsOne Now” to discuss what we must be ready to do in order to  compete in the global marketplace.

Jackie Jones told Martin, “Students have to understand that the world is much broader than your backyard. Especially with urban universities—students who are not well traveled, may not have had opportunities to go out of their regions, much less out of the country, it takes a while to warm them up to the task.”

Jones also advises that students obtain a passport and learn a second language. “Often people assume it has to be Spanish, but it doesn’t, it just has to be a second language because it can be useful anywhere.”

“I tell them to read things that they are not comfortable with, put themselves in situations that take them out of their comfort zone so they can learn how to adjust to any situation that crops up.”

Dennis Bonilla, Executive Dean, School of Information Systems and Technology at the University of Phoenix explained, “In order to solve the competitiveness issue for most of the emerging countries and the developed countries there is going to have to be an evolution of talent that really understands global needs.”

Bonilla also touted the ability to work with teams around the world at different hours of the day. Also, he said effective and successful workers will have to know how to collaborate with them, how to communicate with them and how to be sensitive to their cultural needs. “It’s a real evolution of a need that is not going to be able to be just handled by an American centric, it’s got to be a global centric mindset,” says Bonilla.

Bonilla detailed five skills that students must have in order to compete in a global economy:

  1. Understanding cultural diversity
  2. Learning a second language
  3. Understanding how to collaborate
  4. Excellent  communication skills
  5. Time and project management

Watch Martin, Jackie Jones, Chair of the Department of Multimedia Journalism at Morgan State University, Dennis Bonilla, Executive Dean, School of Information Systems and Technology at the University of Phoenix and the “NewsOne Now” Straight Talk panel discuss how we as a nation can prepare the next generation to compete for careers in the global marketplace in the video clip above.

For more information about the program, or to register, visit www.phoenix.edu/dream. You may also review the eligibility criteria for being considered for one of the 40 full-tuition scholarships UOPX will award in either education, health care, or criminal justice.

Below, watch the following NewsOne.com web exclusive video from the University of Phoenix. You’ll see alumni share their experiences attending UOPX and also achieving their dream of becoming college graduates.

Those who share their stories above include Tony Drees of Denver, Colo., who earned a Master of Management degree; Curtis Sampson of Chicago, who completed his studies to become a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership; Denise Washington of Kalamazoo, Mich., who also earned a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership; Gail Marquis of Jersey City, NJ, who earned her MBA; Current doctorate learner Evelyn Banks from Memphis, Tenn.; MBA, Michael Johnson from Madison, Wis. and Amir Johnson from Stuart, Fla., who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business/Management.

SEE ALSO: Where Are The Jobs Of Tomorrow? University Of Phoenix Details The Best Majors For A Lucrative Career [VIDEO]