Trained for What? ☀
We make it mandatory for our children to attend schools and invest money in them before they are even employable. Why would we not make it mandatory that to receive unemployment benefits the unemployed would be required to enhance their skill set. This would create new jobs, improve self-esteem and enhance the quality of workers in this country. During times of economic contraction it is critical that individuals and companies rebuild their skills and abilities to prepare for the next expansion.
The people are the greatest resource of any nation. While government benefits are necessary to help those in dire straits if it doesn’t make those same people more able in the future it fails the very same group of people. It is shortsighted, impractical and irresponsible to keep throwing a life preserver to someone without finally making it mandatory that they learn how to swim.
/true, the sentiment expressed here in the vein of teaching one how to fish instead of merely giving…
But what are these “skill set” enhancements to ensure a greater probability of employment? What private triumvirate or government sanctioned committee will be charged with this task? By what criteria would fields of study be proffered and instituted?
Or is there a deeper, structural question about human work in the 21st century robotic nation?
Truth being, that new careers and disciplines require a great deal less manpower than in the previous industrial age. Except for a few fields, like defense contractors and health industry, which are ironically also heavy state subsidy recipients.
