Comments on: Higher Education Is A Priority http://www.michiganfuture.org/09/2009/higher-ed-is-a-priority/ Creating a Prosperous Michigan Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:14:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cynthia Hoag http://www.michiganfuture.org/09/2009/higher-ed-is-a-priority/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Cynthia Hoag Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:51:27 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/new/?p=205#comment-89 This is from "Michigan's Transition to a Knowledge-Based Economy: First Annual Progress Report" published in February 2008: "Higher wages have been a competitive disadvantage for Michigan in retaining manufacturing jobs. Lower wages in the knowledge-based sectors of the economy – where most of the job growth and good-paying jobs are – should be a competitive edge for Michigan." This left me scratching my head, given all the emphasis on increasing educational attainment and talent retention in Michigan. Lower wages in the knowledge-based sectors can only drive out what few college-grads Michigan still has. To see them as a competitive advantage is penny-wise/pound-foolish. We need to give college-grads a reason to stay, something local businesses have taken no responsibility for, despite the critical role they play. Low wages equals unqualified applicants, not a competitive edge. This is from “Michigan’s Transition to a Knowledge-Based Economy: First Annual Progress Report” published in February 2008:

“Higher wages have been a competitive disadvantage for Michigan in retaining manufacturing jobs. Lower wages in the knowledge-based sectors of the economy – where most of the job growth and good-paying jobs are – should be a competitive edge for Michigan.”

This left me scratching my head, given all the emphasis on increasing educational attainment and talent retention in Michigan. Lower wages in the knowledge-based sectors can only drive out what few college-grads Michigan still has. To see them as a competitive advantage is penny-wise/pound-foolish. We need to give college-grads a reason to stay, something local businesses have taken no responsibility for, despite the critical role they play. Low wages equals unqualified applicants, not a competitive edge.

]]> By: David Cherry http://www.michiganfuture.org/09/2009/higher-ed-is-a-priority/comment-page-1/#comment-67 David Cherry Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:43:46 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/new/?p=205#comment-67 Education for moral reasons is a good way to frame it. We don't want to build a great city by attracting great people from everywhere else, while keeping vulnerable citizens who already live here at the bottom of the social ladder. Education for moral reasons is a good way to frame it. We don’t want to build a great city by attracting great people from everywhere else, while keeping vulnerable citizens who already live here at the bottom of the social ladder.

]]> By: Lou Glazer http://www.michiganfuture.org/09/2009/higher-ed-is-a-priority/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Lou Glazer Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:47:41 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/new/?p=205#comment-63 Great suggestions! Attracting immigrants, offering internships that have a real chance of turning into a job, promoting what Detroit has to offer for young professionals are all items that should be on the region's and state's priority list. Your comments also raise the larger issue of what matters more: education or retaining and attracting talent. Where we have ended up is both should be priorities. Education as much for moral reasons as economic. Retaining and attracting talent because it probably matters most to whether we are going to prosperous again. Great suggestions! Attracting immigrants, offering internships that have a real chance of turning into a job, promoting what Detroit has to offer for young professionals are all items that should be on the region’s and state’s priority list. Your comments also raise the larger issue of what matters more: education or retaining and attracting talent. Where we have ended up is both should be priorities. Education as much for moral reasons as economic. Retaining and attracting talent because it probably matters most to whether we are going to prosperous again.

]]> By: David Cherry http://www.michiganfuture.org/09/2009/higher-ed-is-a-priority/comment-page-1/#comment-35 David Cherry Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:16:09 +0000 http://www.michiganfuture.org/new/?p=205#comment-35 I'd like to see our cities develop strategies to attract young talent, independent of the statewide push for skill development. These strategies might be direct - perhaps Detroit could open a Center for Talent Development, which would send representatives to colleges across the country; identify potential immigrant populations and craft strategies uniquely for them; create a life in the city internship program, to expose young workers to life in the D. I’d like to see our cities develop strategies to attract young talent, independent of the statewide push for skill development. These strategies might be direct – perhaps Detroit could open a Center for Talent Development, which would send representatives to colleges across the country; identify potential immigrant populations and craft strategies uniquely for them; create a life in the city internship program, to expose young workers to life in the D.

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