Education: Realistic Appraisal, Sensible Solutions

By Jennifer S. Cecero

Public schools should serve the student--strengthen college prep for those who are headed in that direction, and offer vocation for those who are not. Give companies a reason to come here--skilled labor!

Time and time again, we kept reaching the same conclusion--the Valley in general has an extreme shortage of skilled labor. Having done away with most vocational training in our high schools has caused extreme shortages of employable people in the automotive, building and manufacturing trades. In the building trade, crews are recruited from as far away as Canada. This conclusion was proven as results from the Natelson Report (a taxpayer funded research company) said the same thing: a lack of diversified industries, and a lack of skilled labor. Obviously, the two go together. More vocational training in high school is clearly the answer.

Consider these facts:

Vocational training in the 11th and 12th grade address's each of those facts. First, a potential dropout student usually has problems with interest and academics--this does not mean they cannot work with their hands. Proper vocational placement could be just the "hook" needed to keep a student in school. Secondly, language problems do not have to mean unemployment problems if skills are present. And a person with a language problem paves the way for his or her children much more successfully than an unemployed, unskilled individual. Third, the last bit of parental legal responsibility and control is high school. Work ethics and patterns should be in place before a graduate tries to find a job.

Small business provides over half of all employment; yet do not have the resources to train an employee from ground zero. Expansion, and job creation cannot exist if the owner has to do the work himself.

There are many programs in place for the best students. I know from experience, my eldest is a college graduate. But the vast majority of students are not. Let's give them a skill to support themselves, reduce unemployment, increase our median income range and diversify our economy. You may even find that those students end up going back to school (college) eventually, but at least they have a way to pay for it!

In summary, public schools should serve the student--strengthen college prep for those who are headed in that direction, and offer vocation for those who are not. Give companies a reason to come here--skilled labor!