TMS Public and Governmental Affairs Resource Center

FROM THE FEDERATION OF MATERIALS SOCIETIES: The House Science and Technology Committee has launched a series of hearings into the implications of innovation offshoring for U.S. workers and the economy. “There is little dispute that technological innovation is the key to improving America’s standard of living, yet science and engineering work—the fundamental building block of innovation—has become increasingly vulnerable to offshoring,” Committee Chair Bart Gordon (D-TN) said in opening the first hearing, which heard from private sector witnesses who agreed that not enough is known to adequately assess the consequences of offshoring high-tech jobs. The committee heard that protectionist policies are not the answer, but rather government should encourage domestic business and education through policies including tax incentives, reform of the patent system, better teacher training, etc.

The second hearing, in the Subcommittee on Research and Science Education, focused on the need for education and training to meet industry’s need for skilled technicians and for advancing manufacturing and other technology intensive sectors. Particularly highlighted was the role of community colleges working in partnership with local industry. Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-MI), ranking minority member of the subcommittee, noted that “our workforce still remains globally competitive. I believe that is largely due to community colleges filling the gap between a high school education and employment. . . . I am glad that industry is taking action to address the skills gap and working with educational institutions to attract students to these fields, instead of relying purely on traditional recruiting strategies. Companies have identified the high-performance skills of their workforce as the most critical component of their future business success.”

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