Apprenticeships: A Rigorous And Tested Training Model For Workers And Management
Our guest author today is Robert I. Lerman, Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute and Professor of Economics at American University. Professor Lerman conducts research and policy analyses on employment, income support and youth development, especially as they affect low-income populations. He served on the National Academy of Sciences panel examining the U.S. post-secondary education and training system for the workplace.
In a recent Washington Post article, Peter Whoriskey points out the striking paradox of serious worker shortages at a time of high unemployment. His analysis is one of many indicating the difficulties faced by manufacturing firms in hiring enough workers with adequate occupational skills. As a result, many firms are having serious problems meeting the demand for their products, putting on long shifts, and turning down orders.
The article cites a survey of manufacturers indicating that as many as 600,000 jobs are going unfilled. The skilled jobs going begging include machinists, welders, and machine operators -- jobs that pay good wages. So what happened?