Public gets bill — and the benefits : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

Counterpoint:

By David Powell

While we were flattered to see our region featured in an article (Jan. 9) by The New York Times that also ran in the News & Record, “Private Sector Gets Job Skills; Public Gets Bill,” we believe the article failed to complete the cycle that it outlined. As an economic development leadership organization for North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region, we sponsor projects that involve government, education and private business — and we support programs that train our citizens for 21st century jobs.

It’s no secret that our area of North Carolina is going through a major transformation. We once led the world’s tobacco, textile and furniture industries. Today, many of those jobs are simply gone. To transform a workforce quickly, an effective solution has been to help connect willing workers to new skills training and to the companies that need those skills.
We consider an investment in training programs to be an investment in the people of North Carolina. And make no mistake, we invest for our own benefit. Well-trained, well-paid residents generate more tax revenues, alleviate public burdens and raise the overall well-being of a community.

Though it’s a slow recovery, jobs are coming to North Carolina. Companies are attracted to our lifestyle, business climate and education system. But these new jobs require education and training in advanced manufacturing, life sciences and technology — a far cry from the manual factory work of the past.

Job-specific training, as was done for Caterpillar in Winston-Salem, is just one way that we are working to address the skills gap. From preschool through college, the primary objective of education is preparation for the working world. We are confident that by supporting programs as early as elementary STEM education and as late as mid-career retraining, the Piedmont Triad’s public, private and educational organizations are laying the path to a prosperous 21st century economy.

The writer is president and CEO, Piedmont Triad Partnership.

rmacz

January 17, 2012 - 8:33 am EST

We could start changing by geting rid of "The Right to Work" laws. Unions provide schools and training next to none. On top of that, saleries and standards of living will get better. Made in America works.

ghost from white oak

January 17, 2012 - 9:55 am EST

I couldn't disagree with you more.
Many of the problems this country faces were brought on by unions, in the name of helping, they have harmed.
I do not think unions should be banned, however, no one should be forced to belong as a price of employment.
I worked for over forty years both in and out of unions. I heard and saw many demands for more money, better conditions and more benefits. Never once did I hear what the unions were willing to give for these demands.
There may have been other stories, but, I only saw take and no give from unions.
The image I have of union employees are jobs for life, no matter you skill or willingness to work for your pay.

Panacea

January 17, 2012 - 11:00 am EST

I never had that experience with the two nursing unions I belonged to. What I heard was support for working conditions that improved patient safety (the union supported the Safe Staffing Law in California that is slowly working its way into other states), not jobs for life. Nurses in the union could still get fired . . . and were.

The auto unions and airline unions gave back and gave back and gave back during the financial crisis only to see top execs give themselves big bonuses even when they made bad business decisions (like making cars no one wanted to buy).

Unions have long since woken up and realize the model of the union employee has changed. It's a shame public perception has not.

January 17, 2012 - 1:43 pm EST

"Unions have long since woken up and realize the model of the union employee has changed. It's a shame public perception has not"

I couldn't help notice the "big change" in unions in Wisconsin last year.

itsjustron

January 17, 2012 - 1:14 pm EST

Coming from coal country, I have seen the good and bad in unions. The bad being violence, vandalism, threats, attempted murder, etc.. The good being the improvement in overall safety..

What Ihave issues with most of all is some of the most ridiculous of demands some public employees are held too, such as dont change your own light bulb, etc..

I think in the long run, we have been very lucky to have the unions help bring about change, however I believe personally, that time has come and gone.. and now, such as someone trying to build a plane in sc, they actually obstruct business development.

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