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The new economy requires significantly higher levels of knowledge and skills. The pressure is on competing in the human talents market internationally, requiring significant improvements in entry level skills. With increased mobility, tomorrow's workforce will be increasingly diverse and present unprecedented challenges to the industry in recruiting and training and in terms of the expectations they bring to the workforce. Today, vocational/technical education beyond high school is at crossroads. Sending a clear message to HR [human resources] managers, the need is to bridge the emerging demands in the new economy by investing in pre-employment education and training as an innovative way of recruiting and retaining. The challenge is to ensure that the education and training system is 'demand driven' and in line with, and contributive to, the aptitude, interest and aspirations of the youth. It is about time we realise the intensity of this challenge and respond. The paper outlines these critical issues and suggests strategies to enhance the role and involvement of HR professionals as mentors in the education sector, linking businesses and professional associations to all levels of workforce preparation, enabling young people to obtain critical employability skills and access to lifelong learning and career advancement opportunities.