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Labor Official Backs Readying Future Leaders

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 February 2006, 12:00 CST

By Bob Mims, The Salt Lake Tribune

Feb. 22--Deputy U.S. Secretary of Labor Steven Law admits that with the nation's economy thriving, preaching about the need to retain global business leadership is a tough sell.

That said, Law contended in Salt Lake City on Tuesday that is critical the country's business leaders take seriously the White House call for preparing a new generation to compete in the markets of the future.

Speaking at a Utah Information Technology Association CEO Roundtable, Law said "in many ways, times are fairly good right now," citing the creation of 4.8 million jobs over the past two and a half years, and unemployment levels nationally hovering around 4.7 percent.

"But we can't just rest on our laurels; we need to move forward. We need to make sure America stays at the forefront of innovation of technology and science and education and the talent development of our work force."

President Bush's American Competitiveness Initiative -- unveiled during his recent State of the Union address -- is part of the answer to that challenge, Law said.

In fiscal 2007 alone, the initiative recommends doubling the investments for innovation-related research, a boost of nearly $1.5 billion. Among other things, that money would fund hundreds of new research grants from the National Science Foundation, 2,600 more researchers under Department of Energy auspices and breakthrough studies in nanotechnology, new alternative fuel technologies and biotechnology.

The White House also has earmarked $3.4 million for enhanced worker training programs, dubbed Career Advancement Accounts. The funds would be primarily targeted at out-of-school youth, low-income adults and dislocated workers, but also could benefit existing workers to upgrade their skills.

Over its 10-year life, the initiative carries a $136 billion price tag.

Keeping America's spot as the world's top economy is worth every penny of that investment, Law said.

"We are entering into a dynamic new economy, the 'knowledge economy,' " he said. "The way to stay on the cutting edge of that . . . is to continuously and aggressively invest in that knowledge. This is the key."

Jack Sunderlage, president and CEO of ContentWatch and UITA chairman, told Law that Utah's own Science Technology and Research Initiative, or USTAR, fits in well with the Bush administration's plan. USTAR places an emphasis on investing and educating for future, high-tech markets.

Now before the Legislature, USTAR is aimed at helping stop the out-migration of the state's best minds by funding Utah campuses' efforts to partner with businesses.

Others at Tuesday's event raised the need for immigration law reform, pointing out the difficulties of getting work visas for highly skilled technology workers from overseas.

Law said that was just part of the challenge facing a president struggling to find a fair way to deal with 11 million illegal immigrants within the nation's borders. He stressed that although Washington could consider relaxing certain visa processes, it remained committed in the long term to reducing the need for foreign high-tech recruitment through better education and training of the U.S. workforce.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Salt Lake Tribune

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Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

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