For the Cape May County Economy and Our Youth, It’s Time to Rethink Education

Given our sustained economic slump, for the good of both the young people and the Cape May County economy, we must revisit our thinking regarding how our youth are educated, and the fields into which they go. As background, I encourage you to read Dr. Tom Henry’s excellent piece in this week’s Herald.
For a number of decades now, there was very little to think about. We had developed a standard way of doing these things and it worked. The community provided the schools and the pupils went through the grades. Upon graduation, a considerable percentage attended a college of their choice studying a subject of their preference.
As our nation became ever more affluent, this process became ever less goal centered. A specific goal was not essential because in the thriving economic climate, young people were able to make their way without one.
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Education should not be in book-learning alone, but in hands-on internships
and apprenticeships. Experience of societies worldwide has taught us that
our education structure works best when it is done in cooperation with industry.
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Now, the world has changed; resources have become more limited and people are a great deal more careful in spending. We are reserving our dollars more for our “must haves.” As a result, employment for workers whose tasks it was to fulfill only items on our “wish list” is not there as before. So the engineering student who designs electronic goods is still in demand, but the student who studies basket weaving is unemployed.
So how do we here in Cape May County respond to our changed world? Clearly we need to be certain that we educate students for fields where there are good jobs, whether the opportunity is here locally, or elsewhere.
For the good of our local economy and the pupils who will not be moving away, we need a thorough knowledge of our local industries, of their current and future needs. From there we need to tailor our educational system to meet those needs.
This should not be in book learning alone, but in hands-on internships and apprenticeships. Over the years we at the Herald have had a number of interns, and it was not uncommon to be told by the interns how vital those experiences were for them. Experience of societies worldwide has taught us that our education structure works best when it is done in cooperation with industry. The success of vocational – technological schools relates to this model.
Nationally, average household income has fallen almost 10 percent over the last several years. We can cry about it, or we can do something about it. The American spirit I have come to know over my years is one that is best captured in the adage: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Well, now is that time.
Art Hall, publisher