Governor James B. Hunt Jr. has decided to make workforce development a top priority in North Carolina's educational system. Students will be expected to master reading, writing, arithmetic--and workforce readiness. Does this mean that North Carolina is converting the public education system into a workforce preparation system?

JobReady is the name given to North Carolina's School-to-Work system. North Carolina will receive $30 million dollars of federal grant money to implement education reforms with the goal of helping students master academic and occupational skill standards. These standards will be set by the National Skill Standards board, which has the mission of developing job skill standards, assessments, and certificates of mastery for every occupation in the United States.

School-to-Work and JobReady proponents are linking economic development to school reform. Businesses report that applicants do not possess academic and entry-level skills to succeed in the American workplace. Due to the perception of the state of the educational system businesses are looking to the government to reform the educational system in order to meet the workforce demands. North Carolina's response is to meet this challenge by having businesses, government, and educators focus on workforce preparedness. Companies will be able to train their employees in North Carolina's education system.

JobReady calls for students to begin learning about career possibilities from kindergarten through the fifth grade. They will then explore career interests from grades six through eight. Students must prepare career development plans in grade eight and choose a career path and gain training and experience for that career in grades nine through twelve. As it progresses, JobReady will implement mastery exams and offer Certificates of Mastery in addition to high school diplomas.

North Carolina has 74 active JobReady partnerships in 97 counties and implementation of JobReady is well underway. The goal is the "inclusion of all students." Employers plan to be deeply involved in shaping the academic and skill standards. The government will encourage businesses to provide workplace experiences for students and create career-counseling information. JobReady specifies that grants, tax credits, and economic subsidies be used to encourage employer involvement.

The School-to-Work and JobReady concepts are based on the assumption that the public education system has failed and needs to be reformed. Several fundamental questions are raised: Why do public schools exist, and whom do they serve? Should traditional liberal arts (core knowledge) education be diluted by vocational training for all students? Isn't it true that a graduate with a well-rounded academic foundation will be qualified and equipped for practically any entry-level job?

Education differs from workforce training. Education empowers and enriches students for any career path they may choose. Workforce training trains students for predetermined work based on labor needs.

It is reasonable to assume that time must be taken from core academic subjects in order to accommodate vocational and technical training. Students may become valued exclusively for their worth as economic producers and consumers. Centering education around workforce development also assumes that the government can successfully predict future employment needs.

Diana M. Fessler is quoted as saying, "In just 200 years, this country went from being an English colony to being the Greatest Nation on Earth. We've had more Nobel prize recipients than any other industrialized nation. We've sent men into outer space...We've pioneered open-heart surgery, and our science and technology are copied world-wide. Those who accomplished incredible feats were the product of an education system that emphasized academics, not life-long job training for the perceived good of the economy."