Opinion: N.J.’s economic growth must focus on better relationship between education, labor market
This excerpt is from the Times of Trenton Guest Opinion column on Friday, May 10. Written by Thomas Little, a graduate student in the Master’s in Public Policy program at the Bloustein School.
If state policy makers want to address New Jersey’s slow economic growth, they must repair the severed relationship between education and the labor market. For decades, we have believed that once you get a college degree from a good school, you should be able to find a job in this economy. For many people today, that is simply no longer the case — and even people who have a job are not safe in this economy.
The Great Recession, along with several changes to American businesses — changes that include globalization, advances in technology and an emphasis on efficiency — have led to sharp reductions in the demand for jobs with good wages. Even if the unemployment rate goes back to pre-recession levels, not all of the jobs that were eliminated by the recession will come back; in fact, it is safe to say that those lacking the necessary skills or qualifications will be unable to participate in the labor market in the near future.
Read full article at Times of Trenton website.