‘Alan Eek
Job-related education and training:
their impact on earnings
A worker's education and an appropriate job
requiring education or training are significant determinants
of earnings; qualifying training and training taken
to improve skills play different roles in the workplace,
but both contribute to greater earnings
1 the 1980's and early 1990s, a long-term
decline in real average eamings of many US.
workers, a trade deficit, and reductions in
‘manufacturing employment growth became pub
Tic concems. The notion was bandied about that
both education and job training would have to be
strengthened in order for the United States to im-
prove the economic status of its workers, as wel
as its competitive position in the global market-
place, The following excerpts from published
sources are illustrative of official concem about
the situation:
‘The quality ofthe U.S. workforce matters now
‘more than ever, Wellzained, motivated worker
‘who oan produce high quality goods and services
Tow cost help enhance industrial productivity and
‘competitiveness and keep American living stan-
‘dards high, Tn today's nterational economy, work
‘ers must be prepared to change the way they do
their jobs inorder to capture the benefits from rap-
daly evolving teennology. Iraining goes hand-in-
hand with productivity, quality, Nexiblity, and au-
‘omation inthe best performing firms.
(Our nation is facing a major crisis in education,
‘one larger and more significant than was realized
‘even afew shor years a0
‘What is required are far moze Americans who
‘can understand mathematical and scientific prin-