Instead of bailing auto companies, would it be better to fund higher education to prepare workers for new jobs?
Asked by don1862
We compete in a global economy and need an educated workforce to fill the knowledge based jobs of the 21st century. Workers need to get retrained for these jobs rather than thinking there is a future in low skilled factory employment. I live in Michigan. We have some very high-level research universities which can supply the highly skilled workers needed to compete in the global economy. Dropping out of school and getting a high paying factory job will no longer work.

Best Answer:
What about all the designers, engineers, executives, researchers, etc. that work for the auto companies? Not everyone at GM actually assembles the cars, you know.

Well your argument makes sense. But without the auto companies - there would be a tremendous loss of jobs as well. If these companies go out of business we would also have to import all of our vehicles. Plus when people graduate where would they work?
Answered by Ashes

Honestly: I think that the $$ used for the bailing out all of these auto companies is useless..... Unless of course the companies getting these so-called "bail-outs" can commit to creating jobs for those people who no longer have jobs due to the dip in our economy. Otherwise, It is completely useless to take taxpayer's $$ to help a private company, who's sole interest is to screw people out of their $$. Why shouldn't we get to vote on this???
Answered by JMA

I will show you people with doctorate degrees and no full time job. We don't need people with more degrees! We need more good paying jobs with benifits. You can't live on $14.00 an hour. There are only 3 areas that have had growth during this period... 1.Education 2.Health Service 3.Government Jobs Who ever told you that the auto industry hired drop outs!!!!!!! My husband was not allowed to hire anyone without a degree. Hourly emplyees were could go to college free and many did. I live in Michigan too. My husband can run any manufacturing company and turn a profit with happy employees (union or non). Yet because no one is buy stuff he is out of a job. What are you exactly expecting people to get retrained in?????
Answered by Lily

If there are no jobs to go to, more education will not help. As well many of them are old enough that there is not really enough time for them to find a new career. Specially when they have families and mortgages and cannot easily move. And there are no other jobs anyway in the communities where they build cars. Do you suggest we also buy out their mortgages so they can afford to back to school for 2-4 years? But you are right about the young people. They cannot assume they can get a job in a car factory any more. Listen to "Allentown"
Answered by chuckles951