This guy gets my friggin goat. First off, he's full of shit. America has led the world, at least the world of major economies, in GDP growth the past several years. We haven't lost the 'great global economic competition' not by a mile. Secondly, he says we need to retool our labor force. that friggin adage went out of style in the 80's asshole. Let me ask you this, how much more skilled were the laborers in china and Mexico that you offshored Snapon work to? so 'upskilling' (not a word) is the answer to this? I got an answer. FUCK YOU.
I either need more coffee or I've had too much.
Oh, and here's a graphic that's interesting for a bunch of losers in the great economic competition.
global-economy-gdp-growth.jpg
BKB
The middle class is under pressure; unemployment remains stubbornly high. There are many reasons, but first among them is that we're losing in the great global economic competition of today. It's a conflict in which we cannot afford to continue failing and the up-skilling of the American workforce is the key to turning the tide.
Despite the troubling trajectory, America is still exceptional. I travel across the globe and can attest that our country is still the best in the world — we have more comfort, greater mobility and a wider range of opportunity than any society in the history of the planet.
How did we get there? We had great leaders — brilliant people like Washington, Lincoln, Edison and Ford. But, that's not all. If you examine history, you'll find our success did reflect the brilliance of a few, but it was also authored by the efforts of the many.
Take Henry Ford. He had a brilliant idea. But he couldn't make it work without others to amplify his thoughts. He chose the greatest commercial amplifier of the day, the American workforce, singularly energetic and dedicated. The result was our auto industry which enabled millions to build lives of prosperity, dignity and pride. Other ideas and other workforces came together across our Nation and built the powerful American middle class.
Today, we're being challenged. We hear about the endangered middle, that the American dream is withering. No wonder! Ongoing prosperity depends on winning the global competition to become the amplifier for the ideas of today. In this conflict, pure energy and dedication are no longer enough. The remedy is an up-skilling of the American workforce ... more career and technical education ... more skills training. We need to recreate an American middle differentiated from others around the world, that will restore our nation as the place to invest, and that will re-boost our country's job engine.
To achieve this renaissance, industry, education and government must join in broadening support for technical education and in setting standards so that students learn the skills that get them jobs. But, most importantly, we must reverse the dismissive posture toward technical careers. Rather than view such occupations as a consolation prize, we need to recognize them for the essential role they must play in engaging our nation's primary economic strength ... our broad middle class. We must restore our respect for the dignity of work.
Skilled workforce training and the associated expansion of jobs must become a national priority, and skilled careers must be raised to a national calling in America's path forward.
We need to celebrate, not just achievements in sports or academic pursuits, but the energy, dedication and skills required of today's technical careers. We need to generate excitement so that our young pursue these careers with pride and are admired for the essential role they will play in any possible path to ongoing American prosperity. To re-energize our middle class, we must act as if it were truly important.
Nicholas T. Pinchuk is chairman and CEO of Snap-on Inc.