How much do people with two-year or four-year degrees earn? Here are the facts.
We hear frequently from employers and their political allies that many/most kids would be better off pursuing an occupational certificate or two year degree with an occupational major than getting a four year degree. Some version of students with a four year degree are earning low wages with lots of debt, while students going into […]
Are low wages causing the skilled trades shortages?
The Grand Rapids Business Journal recently published an op-ed and comment that lays out the two most likely reasons for more demand by employers for skilled trades workers in manufacturing and construction than there are qualified applicants for those jobs. Which of the two explanations is accurate has profound implications for public policy, particularly for […]
Senator Sasse on the nature of future work
In a previous post I wrote about US Senator Ben Sasse’s (Republican from Nebraska) views on manufacturing jobs not coming back no matter what pressure President Trump puts on companies not to move jobs overseas or to whatever barriers we erect to trade because of automation. We recommended––and do so again––that you watch from about the 32 […]
Egads! Michigan wants to be like Kansas
As we have explored previously (see here, here and here), Kansas tried and failed to grow their economy through big tax cuts. In fact what they got was the exact opposite, arguably the worst state economic performance since the end of the Great Recession. Despite the overwhelming evidence that cutting taxes doesn’t grow state economies, […]
The $10 million winning Grand Rapids high school
I recently had a chance to visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum School. Quite impressive. Clearly the folks at the XQ: The Super School Project thought so too. They chose the school as one of ten winners of $10 million. XQ’s mission is “to remake America’s high schools for today”. Both websites are worth exploring. […]
Automating mining and fast food jobs
Recent articles on automation in mining and fast foods reinforce that the new reality is that many jobs and occupations in a wide range of industries are likely to disappear sooner rather than later. The mining story comes from the MIT Technology Review. Its entitled This truck is the size of a house and doesn’t have […]
Sasse, Carrier and the decline of manufacturing jobs
The headlines were about President elect Trump saving 800 manufacturing jobs at a Carrier Indianapolis air conditioning plant. But two Business Insider articles do a far better job than the headlines of explaining what the future is of the Carrier plant and American manufacturing employment. There the news is not so rosy. Why? Because increasingly […]
Welding isn’t the skill welders need most
I’m reading a new book on the so-called skills gap. Beyond the Skills Gap: Preparing College Students for Life and Work by University of Wisconsin professor Matthew Hora. Important book on an important topic. As I’m reading I ran across this quote from a HR professional at a manufacturer in Wisconsin: “What’s funny is that […]
Morgan Stanley on achieving inclusive growth
Really interesting recommendations from Morgan Stanley and the Low Income Investment Fund on “investing in cities for inclusive growth”. Interesting because: A major financial services company is proposing inclusive growth as a national priority and worthy of both public and private investments. They embrace integration as the central strategy citing the work of the Equality of […]
Distinguishing between high and low quality charter schools
As I feel a need to do every time I write about charter schools, Michigan Future is a long time supporter of charters and more broadly education choice. Still are. But we have been disappointed in the results of charters (choice too) in Michigan––particularly in our central cities. Its in urban areas where breakthrough charters […]