Why the Interest?

Now that the Presidential Primary Season is officially over and the two major political parties have nominated their candidates, it is definitely time to begin talking about their plans to create the millions of jobs that each has been proclaiming throughout the primary season. Most of these jobs, as described by both candidates, will be in new and emerging industries such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, technology, etc., much of which has yet to be created.

There is no doubt that these new industries will be the future of the much anticipated growth in the economy. “Alternative Sustainable Clean Energy”, that is so necessary in our fight against climate change, can also be the answer to picking up the pace of the slower than desired growth in America’s economy. The new “lean manufacturing” concept can help to level the playing field and make the United States more competitive on the world trade market while maintaining good paying jobs for our own workers here at home. New jobs in the field of technology make sense here in the birthplace of the computer age. Information Technology coupled with the intellectual intelligence developed here in the United States can be marketed for Good instead of being used for Evil. This is our economic future!

While some will still argue that “it’s hard to teach old dogs new tricks”, just ask any coal minor if he or she is ready, willing, and more than able to learn new skills that will afford them a chance to raise their families, pay their bills, send their children to good schools, and yes, which should include a college education and all while having a little left over in savings, I think you will get a pretty good argument to that old antiquated adage. The American workforce realizes that it must adjust to the ever-changing world. Today’s workplace is no longer its grandfather’s workplace. The technological revolution has over taken us a bit, and we can no longer sit idly by reminiscing about what once was rather, we must now talk, and more importantly act, on what faces us as a unified nation.

The title of this short essay asks the question “Why the interest” in educating the workforce. Well my friends, the answer is quite obvious and moreover, the time is now to begin doing what is necessary. Building a well educated, highly skilled workforce is no longer a dream for our utopia, it is now a reality. We can no longer look to the future for answers to the issues of today. We must develop a system that will train our current workforce and one that will prepare our young people to enter that new workforce when their time comes.

Hopefully, through this website, I will be able to share with you what I have learned through a lifetime devoted to the career, technical education of our young people and workforce development through skills training of the Nation’s current workforce.

You will find as we journey through our understanding of how to get this all accomplished and, might I say, QUICKLY, that much of the foundation for long term sustainable workforce development through education and training already exists but, has been drastically under used for decades. I hope to instill in my readers, plain ordinary folks like me and those in leadership positions with the wherewithal to begin the process, a true sense of urgency. The time is now to gather and direct America’s resources in a positive direction.

I am extremely excited to launch this site. I finally have the time (being retired) to actually write about my ideas and desires for a more prosperous economic future. I firmly believe that education is the key to building that future. From expanding and implementing early childhood education programs such as Head Start along with providing universal pre-school for every child. Opportunities for education must be provided from pre-school all the way through post-graduate studies. Students, especially more young women, should be encouraged to enter into the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In the educational system we must build, there will be opportunities for everyone wherever they may choose to stop out. And yes, you will learn as you journey with me through this site, that there can and will be opportunities for those without a college degree. There are many living wage jobs that will become available in the new economy that require specialized training and not a formal college degree.

These ideas and many more will be explored as we progress through this site. While I do understand that for many of you, like me, who might be at or near retirement, this site may not have too much to offer you individually. However, I need you pass the educatetheworkforce.com site on to those who you think might be interested. There are so many people out there that are not aware of the current opportunities available to them. There may also be folks with young children and would find following along this site might help them steer their children in the right direction when the time comes. So, help me get the word out, there is a bright future for those willing to make changes in their lives. Working hard and learning as much as you can, like my mother once said;”no one will ever be able to take that away”.