April 5, 2006

New manufacturing jobs will demand higher skills

Auto executives gathered at the annual Society of Automotive Engineers conference at Cobo Center say education, attitudes and expectations are the key to Michigan's manufacturing health. This Detroit News editorial suggests that Michigan has a lot of work to do, however, to compete with other states for manufacturing jobs. Since 2000, more than 110,000 manufacturing jobs have left the state and the unemployment rate here is among the highest in the nation - and it is likely going to get worse as more low-skilled manufacturing jobs are shipped overseas. Fortunately, according to the writer, Michigan has the infrastructure to change its fate with the state\'s colleges and universities which are among the best in the nation, and Southeast Michigan still is thought of as the automotive capital of the world. "The state university system and community colleges should be working closely with the auto manufacturers and suppliers to turn out the workers the industry will demand in the future."

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