The Need for an Educated Workforce

Submitted by onetahiti on July 2, 2010 - 9:02am.

An article in the NY Times caught my eye this morning (Link...):

Here in this suburb of Cleveland, supervisors at Ben Venue Laboratories, a contract drug maker for pharmaceutical companies, have reviewed 3,600 job applications this year and found only 47 people to hire at $13 to $15 an hour....

All candidates at Ben Venue must pass a basic skills test showing they can read and understand math at a ninth-grade level. A significant portion of recent applicants failed.... [The company] is now struggling to fill 100 positions.

Reading issues aside, ninth grade math is first year algebra. What percentage of Roane County applicants would be able to pass that same basic skills test? I'm guessing not many.

-- OneTahiti

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VERY important aspect of things, OneT!
Submitted by RoaneBooster on July 2, 2010 - 9:27am.

As usual when you post, you have done went and smitten the nail upon the head.

Working in a place that educates people as I do, I can see (being a certified old fart) a difference in the generations of folks who need or try to get an education.

The differences in generations are significant. I believe part of the issues lie with the parenting (or non-parenting). I also believe part of the issues lie in the societal or cultural differences in the mindset of the prospective learners themselves.

Wish I knew what "to do about it." Good topic for discussion.

RB

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