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In light of the flight of furniture and textile manufacturing jobs to lower wage places, in light of the current recession's permanent job losses and in light of the lesson hopefully fully learned from the Dell experience can our region finally understand that we must produce a well educated workforce? Our economic development strategy of promoting available land, access to transportation, excellent quality of life, numerous colleges and universities and a willing and trainable workforce is not producing living wage work for many in our area. The people who are not in the top 25% of our K-12 system, who do not attend early college, who do not receive the necessary remediation and training at the community college are the people who are struggling the most.These are the nameless people devastated by our failed Dell and other strategies.

We need an education strategy that will produce a workforce capable of the math application, reading comprehension, problem solving, critical thinking, team working and computer agility that is required to attract and retain the advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, health care and logistics jobs of the 21st Century that we so covet. The organizations holding these jobs are looking for this workforce first and all the other characteristics are secondary. Isn't our first responsibility to invest in our people and their future? Isn't investing in this education strategy the best economic development incentive?

This education strategy will require K-12 systems, community colleges, parents, students and employers to practice teamwork and to be fearless in the face of uncertainty and change. The current systems are not ideally set up for the desired outcome. We must keep focused on the outcome and not bound by history or obstacles. Here are my topics to start this process. First, we need a region economic summit to confront the issue and commit to a new education strategy. Let's call the strategy "Piedmont Triad-Home of the Best Workforce." Second, an organization needs to be created to track plans and progress. The Best Workforce needs measurements such as percentage of high school graduates, graduation rates, accomplishments on math and reading, a computer agility index, Career Readiness Certificates and completion of courses on teamwork and quality. Third, the K-12 systems and community colleges should share the same primary goal of all students becoming workforce ready. We must accept that in the 21st century economy having the skills of math application, reading comprehension, problem solving, critical thinking, team working and computer agility give all students the opportunity to secure a productive place in the workforce and properly prepares those who wish to pursue college degrees. This may cause the K-12 systems to re-evaluate their college and work prep strategy. This may cause the community colleges to return to their roots of job skill training and remediation work, leaving their degree efforts to the four year colleges and universities. Fourth, as a start to demonstrate to ourselves and to the organizations seeking a world class workforce, let's start making the Career Readiness Certificate, an initiative backed by the Governor's office which measures Applied Math, Reading for Information and Locating Information, a requirement for high school seniors, all students attending the community colleges and people enrolled in Workforce Development programs.

I am certain there is more. I am sure that we need a new strategy. We need leadership on this issue. The Education that Counts editorial is a much welcomed voice in declaring "Success in any 21st Century enterprise depends on the ability to produce a well educated workforce." Are we ready to listen?

When you have students in community colleges who must take all 3 levels of developmental math, reading, and writing before they can take any college level course, you know the high schools are not getting the job done.

It is very frustrating for me to have students who can barely put a sentence together, much less a paper.

The students are frustrated because they realize it will be at least a year before they can start the real work towards getting an education that will get them a decent job.

Fortunately, both GTCC and the high schools have recognized the problem; collaboration to improve basic skills before graduation is in play.

Allowing teachers to quit teaching to the test would be a big step in the right direction.

I dont think the problem is highschools.i think its the opposite. I think its the Early Colleges that are to blaim if there were anything ot complain about. Just to clear things ups, I'm a junior at Grimsley High School in the International Bachalaureate Program. I did apply to the Early College program at Guilford College. I think that while the students attending the program there are more qualified for career opportunities, they also have problems working with other people. And by seperating the "smart " kids from the "normal" ones, the normal district high schools suffer test score wise and the early colleges look that much better. I would also like to point out that by cmpleting the early college program, they open up their opportunities to colleges state wide and even nation wide. But by completeing the IB program, the students completing those open up their opportunites to WORLD-WIDE colleges. I also think the budget cuts last summer where a terrible idea. We no longer have after school busses.We in the IB program not only keep up our college level classes, but we also benefit the community, which last time i checked Early college doesnt do (I have 2 friends that go to Early College). Im just saying that if we were to eliminate the Early college program, we would have not only higher test scores, but more active members in our community.

if you want to contact me, email me at .

We have it ass backwards.

If people came out of high school with the skills required for college in the first third of the 20th century
we would be doing superb.

Reading,math, science ( biology, chemistry, Newtonian physics), English, history, geography, perhaps a
second language, we would be well ahead of the game.

Remember. We put people on the moon before the personal computer and communication satellites
in space before the calculator. Think about atomic energy.

In our state many high school graduates read below an 8th grade level and can't do single digit arithmetic without
the calculator. Sometimes not with the calculator.

Playing computer games,using cell phones texting and twittering are no more being educated than
using a telephone in the early part of the twentieth century was

We confuse information and multitasking with intellect and knowledge.

Many graduates have never actually read a book cover to cover.

Writing doesn't get any better than Mark Twain and Charles Dickens

Dcolin, you hit the nail on the head that time.

The school system as a whole is a joke. The system is broken and lacks leadership which results in under achieving students and students who are not prepared for the workforce.

You make some great points.