Academic Advice to Congress

Accuracy in Academia ^ | January 11, 2011 | Malcolm A. Kline

[Academiadotorg]

An academic has recommended a plan of action for the new U. S. Congress that is actually partly grounded in reality.

In her book, Closing America’s Job Gap, Mary Walshok, a sociologist at the University of California’s San Diego campus, recommends that Congress:

1. Encourage Start-Ups. Congress needs to create and keep good jobs in America by supporting innovative start-up companies that create jobs and provide incentives for retraining people to be qualified for new technologies.

2. Bottom Up, Not Top Down. Rather than federal top-down strategies for job creation, evidence from across America indicates the time has come for a bottom-up approach that harnesses the wisdom of local communities. The federal government needs to invest regionally in the kinds of collaborations that are already producing good jobs in high tech, biotech and clean tech, for which specialized training may be needed.

3. Tax Incentives for Training and Tuition Assistance Programs. Investment in employee training is rising but could use a boost. According to the University and Professional Continuing Education Association, employers want to increase their investment in employee education, a clear recognition that they need a highly skilled workforce to remain competitive. The government should provide incentives.

4. Tax Incentives for Time Off for Continuing Education. One roadblock to “reskilling” is that many employees find it difficult to pursue continuing education while balancing work and family obligations. Employers should offer flexible, convenient educational options to help increase participation. Tax incentives for doing so would go a long way.

[xtinct]

businesses are over-regulated --> dump the regulations first

and, this reads like an education redistribution of wealth program...

why should the tax payers subsidize or pay for continuing education -- people whose bachelor's degrees were already subsidized should have the smarts to get their own money together for continuing education...

[cc2k]

xtinct wrote:

businesses are over-regulated --> dump the regulations first

and, this reads like an education redistribution of wealth program...

You're right on about the regulations.

As for the education redistribution wish list, would you expect anything less from a source like "www.academia.org."

[utcamper]

makes sense