There’s no escaping the facts that, on this Labor Day, Madison County suffers from a high unemployment rate (11.7 percent in July) and that many folks are underemployed.
Those are incontrovertible offshoots of the double-whammy that has hit the Anderson area over the past decade. First, the auto industry sucker-punched us by moving out for cheaper labor. Then, the recession blind-sided the local economy.
As a result, we have more working-age people than we do good jobs. And we have folks working in low-wage service positions who have so much more potential than that.
Most of the unemployed really want to find work. They’re industrious by nature, and some of them have good education or training. They just can’t make the jobs materialize out of thin air.
So they’re left with the choice of sticking around here until things get better, or leaving for another area of the county where the economy isn’t as depressed.
There’s another option: more education or re-training in a field that shows promise — such as health care. An Associated Press story published on page A1 of The Herald Bulletin today notes that when businesses start hiring again they’ll be looking for workers with “specialized skills and education.” Those who lack such training could be left to fend for low-paying jobs — or be left with no job at all.
In a local story about the labor market, a source laments the passing of the good ol’ days when folks in Madison County could claim high-paying jobs at General Motors without graduating from high school.
This community accumulated a lot of wealth back in those days, with as many as 25,000 auto-industry workers and attendant white collar positions. But that era, sadly enough, is long gone.
Bright Automotive has plans to mass produce a hybrid plug-in commercial service van, and Remy has a contract to provide electric motors for Chevy Equinox conversion. Certainly, those possibilities could give the Anderson area a much-needed employment boost, but neither would bring tens of thousands of jobs.
What we really need is to attract new small and mid-sized employers consistently — a dozen or so a year would be a good pace. Local economic development officials, in a highly competitive environment, face an extraordinary challenge.
If Madison County has a great variety of industries across all sectors, we’ll be less susceptible to fluctuations in specific sectors of the economy.
At the individual level, Madison County residents need to invest in their futures by investing in their education and the education of their children. Local educational offerings are on the rise as Ivy Tech Community College plans to build a new campus here, Anderson University continues to add dimensions to its adult education core and other schools and programs try to capitalize on the need for training and re-training.
GM jobs don’t just fall to the able-bodied anymore in Madison County. Folks have to make themselves marketable by graduating from high school and then seeking the right additional training or education.
This community is built on the model of hard work, and hard work is just as important as ever. The difference now: We have to be smart about preparing for a better future.
Editorials
Editorial: Diversification, education key to job gains
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Editorial: If bullying tale is true, APA right to release headmaster
The recent accusations leveled against the headmaster at Anderson Preparatory Academy illustrate how bullying can be perpetuated by administrators who become enablers.
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Editorial: Get permission before school pranks
Anderson High School decided to show some solidarity with their Cascade peers and filled up the school with post-it notes, all in good fun. This prank was also done after hours but with a big difference: The students had requested and received permission to imitate Cascade.
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You Said It: About fundraiser, missing woman, building preservation
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com.
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Editorial: Memorial Day helps put face on wounded warriors
This is the perfect weekend to thank a veteran, an active duty service member or a wounded warrior for his or her service. Our positive, encouraging response goes a long way in defining our society.
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Editorial: Honor those who fought, and celebrate our freedom
This weekend, keep in mind the reason for Memorial Day — to remember those who have been so important in our lives, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice in military service.
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Editorial: Governor candidates offer conservatism, moderation
The jockeying for position has begun in what is basically a two-horse gubernatorial race. Each offers voters a legitimate option. The November outcome may offer a simple referendum on the mindset of voters: Are they most persuaded by Mike Pence’s conservatism or by John Gregg’s moderation?
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Editorial: Keep up the chorus against the landfill
Occupy Anderson has joined the ever-growing chorus against the proposed Mallard Lake landfill. Sam Mudd, a member of Occupy, is taking his studies on how the landfill might pollute Anderson’s water to areas of the county to drum up support against the landfill.
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Editorial: Find a buyer for former school or tear it down
If a buyer wants the former Pendleton Heights Middle School, fine, but put no more taxpayer money into it.
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Editorial: Libraries must adapt to serve communities
Certainly, the Friends of the Anderson Public Library needs space to store and sell used books, records, DVDs and other material. But library supporters and staff must be flexible in this ever-changing world to keep public facilities relevant.
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You Said It: About Walking Men, the Queen of Disco and settled lawsuits
Each Monday, The Herald Bulletin publishes “You Said It,” a compilation of reader comments from www.theheraldbulletin.com.
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Editorial: If bullying tale is true, APA right to release headmaster
