A record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November, the Labor Department reported this month. Dubbed the "Great Resignation," the figure represents a nearly 9 percent increase from October.
"The Great Resignation shows no sign of abating, with quits hitting a new record," said Robert Frick, corporate economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, CNBC reported. "The question is why, and the answers are for starkly different reasons.
"COVID-19 burnout and fear are continuing, but also, many Americans have the confidence to quit given the high level of job openings and rising pay," Frick added.
"How America Works" narrator Mike Rowe is warning, however, that this exodus will impact all Americans.
"This is a conversation about our workforce and the imbalanced nature of it and the way that's going to impact every single American who shares my addiction to smooth roads, indoor plumbing, affordable electricity and so forth," he told Fox Business' Stuart Varney.
"I’ve never seen anything like this," Rowe noted. "I've heard from the energy industry, the flooring industry... the restaurant industry, the cable and broadband industry, they are all struggling with the same basic problem."
That problem, Rowe believes, is how to make a persuasive case for opportunities that exist within blue-collar industries.
"That, interestingly, is one of the few things that we can control," he explained. "We need to explain to kids that working with your hands, learning a skill that's in demand can still lead to prosperity." (Fox Business)
He said educators have an important role to play in changing the notion of what constitutes a "good" education and job.
"We need to do a better job globally of shining a light on [skilled labor] stories," he said.