One gets the feeling those who tell reporters what is newsworthy are cherry-picking data to find any excuse to create an aura of a booming economy. Today, we assume unemployment is very low, because employers are having trouble filling unskilled positions. Luminaries participated in a Skills Gap Symposium at AB Tech Monday. The meeting was to address the lack of motivation and math skills in the pool of job seekers. Attendees asked AB Tech to train people better for these positions.
But it is no secret, Asheville is a town where people with multiple advanced degrees turn down sheets and wait tables. Attendees also shared a problem of employees not showing up on time and not staying on-task. And yet, old fogies with a work ethic remain unemployed.
By contrast, a recent article in the Asheville Tribune told how manufacturing companies seek line workers skilled in debugging automation code, troubleshooting and repairing a variety of machines, and very adept in advanced math. Help-wanted ads want multiple certifications, fluency in Spanish or Japanese, and at least a master’s or doctorate degree in a specific field.
In the final analysis, the Skills Gap people decided to convene another meeting.
