Wednesday, November 06, 2002
Education is one of the big areas where EDPros can exercies influence. Sound crazy? I don't think so. We simply need to focus on some basic truths about education. Clear messages. Then we need to repeat them again and again.
One of the important messages is this: everyone needs a K-14 education, because a high school diploma is no longer a ticket to the middle class.
We have in our mind that every child should attend four years of college. But this expectation is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Only about 25% of adults have a four year college degree. And most jobs in the future will not require 4 years of college.
However, high school alone is not enough either. Earnings of high school graduates have been declining for years. In contrast, most jobs -- and most jobs with a middle class income -- will require some post secondary education. That's why boosting technical education options is so important. By sticking to this message, EDPros can start to reshape people's thinking about the importance of technical education. Here's an example. Go
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site:
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
EDPros can boost technical education
