Friday, April 25, 2003
U.S. manufacturing is threatened by a skills shortage. And the stakes of doing nothing are high.
According to the National Association of Manufacturers the talent shortage is being driven by demographic shifts, failures of the educational system and an outdated image of manufacturing tied to the negative stereotype of the "assembly line". The fact is that high end manufacturing jobs are just the type of jobs communities need.
NAM has launched an educational campaign to make manufacturing a preferred career for young people by 2010. NAM is also urging the administration to declare U.S. manufacturing a national priority and is urging Congress to establish a "National Manufacturing Day."
Download the report. Read it. EDPros can't pretend that we don't know.
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.
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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.
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