Another View: Highly skilled workers scarce

We hear a lot these days about the global economy.

But what does that mean for this year’s high school and college graduates? It means they’re competing for jobs with people all over the world.

If we as a region and state can’t keep up, we lose jobs to better-educated and more highly skilled workers elsewhere.

As the father of four children in metro Atlanta public schools, and as a businessman who relies on a prepared work force for success, I feel a sense of urgency about the following question: How well is Georgia’s education system preparing our children — yours and mine — for this competitive climate?

Let’s look at the facts.

Georgia Power Co. officials say they struggle to recruit high school graduates who can pass their entrance exam. The chief executive of a major Atlanta hospital says they screened more than 300 applicants to find qualified people to fill five entry-level positions.

As the Atlanta managing partner of Pricewaterhouse Coopers — an international business — I know firsthand that it’s increasingly difficult to find employees with the education and skills we need.

Statistics tell the story, too.

Only 75.4 percent of Georgia’s students graduated from high school in 2008. Non-high school graduates earn significantly less, $28,670 on average, compared to high school graduates with no college education earning $44,130. As critical as math is to global competition, 22 percent of Georgia’s eighth-graders did not meet the latest reported CRCT math standards.

To help, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce recently surveyed 400 businesses in the metro area to find out what skills companies need for entry-level employees. The results are due in early fall, and will be shared with educators and policy-makers so changes can be made.

In the meantime, business leaders have been pushing to implement a more challenging math and science curriculum, reform school boards so no other system loses accreditation as Clayton County did, increase the number of qualified teachers and boost our high school graduation rates.

In addition, Georgia is pursuing changes that will make a difference, including:

? implementing more challenging requirements for all students through Georgia’s new curriculum

? recruiting the best and brightest math and science teachers by paying them more for their skills and expertise

? having graduation coaches to help students get through high school and prepare for college

I know that Georgia’s economic vitality relies on a prepared local work force. And I have four good reasons to continue working on education issues — my children.

Gary Price is chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s regional education committee.