James M. Jeffords: “the figures are well known. They come as no surprise. Half of American high school students never go to college. A mere…”

“the figures are well known. They come as no surprise. Half of American high school students never go to college. A mere one-quarter of our youngsters obtain postsecondary degrees. However, unlike most other industrialized nations, we don't have a comprehensive system to prepare this majority of our young Americans to move from high school into the high-skilled, well-paid jobs that hold the best hope for our collective future. The sporadic and individualized efforts that are made at this simply are not enough. The result is that high school dropouts and even high school graduates tend to drift from one entry-level and minimum-wage job to the next, until, several years after graduation, they begin to acquire the training needed to qualify them for a trade or vocation. In Germany, Japan, and most other industrialized countries, students begin to learn in high school those skills they will need to be successful in the job market. They compete to qualify for prestigious apprenticeship programs. They study, both on the job and in school settings, the theories, skills and other knowledge necessary to advance in their fields. Mr. President, the simple truth is that the countries which are our major competitors for export markets and jobs are well ahead of us in this area.…”