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 […]
It’s not the time for happy talk about Michigan’s economy
I did a post after the Michigan presidential primary about how the results sent a clear message that Michigan was not back. Which is the story we have been told over and over by our political and business leaders for the past six years. That post is obviously as relevant––if not more so––after the general […]
Books to understand today’s economy
We are going to feature more in these posts and our newsletter (sign up here) recommended readings that have helped us understand constantly changing economic realities, the skills that are required to do well in the context of those realities and what we as individuals, families and communities can do to succeed in that context. […]
Men not adjusting to economic realities
As we recently explored the decline in 25-54 year old males labor force participation is a growing and serious problem. An excellent report from the President’s Council of Economic Advisors provides an overview of the challenge. That report shows that the decline started a half century ago. That it is occurring at all ages. That it […]
Kansas’ failed tax cut experiment
Amazing Bloomberg column entitled Kansas Ends Bad Economic News by Not Reporting It. Its written by Barry Ritholtz, founder of Ritholtz Wealth Management and formerly chief executive and director of equity research at FusionIQ, a quantitative research firm. Turns out that Kansas has canceled its quarterly reports on the state’s economy. Why? As Ritholtz reports: “The problem was […]
Kasich on economic realities
In an Business Insider interview Ohio Governor Johh Kasich did something almost no politician does today. He clearly states that we can’t go back to a factory-driven economy. Business Insiders writes: But the notion that states such as Ohio are dependent on manufacturing jobs returning is one with which he vehemently disagrees. “Manufacturing is still […]