Salem Mayor John Raymer says one of Salem's industries is interested in adding 300 employees in the next year, but there is a concern if they can find that many qualified workers. Raymer brought up the concern at the Kaskaskia College Salem Education Advisory Committee meeting held on Friday."I'm a little concerned about a war breaking outbetween our two major manufacturers over the same pool of people. I think that will really lead in the direction of some cooperative efforts between the city, the college, and between these people because if we have the ability to grow by 30 percentat one of our manufactures I don't see any way in these economic times we can step away from it," Raymer said. Raymer did not namethe manufacturer looking at a possible expansion. He addedanother industry has already had problems filling new jobs at its Salem facility. Raymercongratulated Kaskaskia College for both the new extension center in Salem and the incubator program that is helping establish three new businesses in the community. Raymer feels Kaskaskia College can be the economic engine to drive the area out of the recession. Kaskaskia College President Dr. Jim Underwood agrees. He notes good jobs are out there, but a high school diploma is no longer enough to get them. "We're now in a concerted effort to reachindividuals in junior high, high school and elementary school with this notion that post secondary education is going to be important for you to have a good paying job and you need to start looking at career options. That is a generational change that is sizable. You can no longer goright to workafter high school orif you're ahigh school drop out," Underwood explained. He addedmanufacturing, railroad, and coal mining jobs have all become more technical and require a higher degree of training than in the past. Underwoodnotes the college is working hard to help those who dropped out of high school get a GED. Underwood says ten years ago 44 percent of those living in the Kaskaskia College district did not have a high school diploma. That has now dropped to 29-percent. Underwood says that's great progress, but the number is still too high. Underwoodnotes the college is going a step further and providing a two year scholarship to each GED graduate to allow them to continue into higher education courses. Underwood says before the scholarship program began, those obtaining GED's would disappear after completing the course work. Now he reports more than 300 a year are moving into college classes. Underwood says those students will be great applicants for the manufacturing expansion jobs. Vice President of Instructional Services Greg Labyak added the college is available to provide specific courses to upgrade the skills of current employees of area businesses. - http://goo.gl/Adznv
