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COMPUTING

Clinton stresses importance of IT literacy

by Nancy Weil

From...
InfoWorld

(IDG) -- President Bill Clinton on Thursday outlined his proposal to close the "skills gap" faced by American businesses, and highlighted the need to increase American workers' computer literacy. This is the latest mention of technology's importance by Clinton, who has brought up the issue in several speeches this month, including the State of the Union address.

Thursday's proposal was released by the White House and was also the focal point of a speech the president gave today at an AT&T facility in Oakton, Va.

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"In America as a whole, there are over a quarter of a million high-tech jobs -- computer-related jobs -- vacant this day. We may have the lowest unemployment rate in 29 years, but we've got a quarter of a million high-wage jobs going vacant this day," the president said in his speech, which was also published on the White House Web site.

Clinton gave an example of a 50-year old Arkansas worker who was afraid of losing his job because he was computer illiterate. The man enrolled in a training program, learned how to use computers, polished other skills, and got a raise instead of being fired, the president said.

"In manufacturing, 88 percent of the companies -- I want to say that again -- 88 percent of the companies say they're having trouble finding qualified applicants to fill at least one kind of job in their operation," Clinton said during the speech. "One in five companies says, today, it literally cannot expand its operation, even though the markets are there, because they don't have workers with the right skills."

Clinton proposed spending $965 million on the three-part plan, which includes $20 million to develop technology -- including software and advanced research and development -- for adult learners; $70 million to increase access to English language proficiency courses; a new 10 percent tax credit for employers who create workplace literacy programs; and initiatives to start adult education and other learning strategies on local and state levels.

Besides adult learning, the plan involves a five-year commitment to reform job training in the United States to help displaced workers learn skills for new jobs, and a program to help disadvantaged youths find work.

The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) issued a statement supporting the initiative. Although the details and proposed spending levels can be quibbled with, Clinton is on target to address "some of the new realities of our global information economy," Harris Miller, the ITAA's President said in the statement.

The ITAA further urged Clinton to move even more boldly regarding adult technology education. The president should work with the U.S. Congress on legislation that will help companies deal with the skills gap, the statement said.

The ITAA estimated last year that there were some 346,000 openings in the United States for computer programmers, systems analysts, and computer scientists. The trade group is sponsoring the Second National IT Workforce Convocation in Austin, Texas, in April to address related issues.

A text of Clinton's speech and additional details about his proposal can be found at the White House Web site at www.whitehouse.gov. The ITAA, in Arlington, Va., has information on its Web site regarding the high-tech skills issue at www.itaa.org/workforce.

Nancy Weil is a correspondent in the Boston bureau of the IDG News Service, an InfoWorld affiliate.

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