To remain competitive in world markets, the United States must boost the skills of its work force. Two attractive school-to-work approaches are apprenticeships (based on European examples) and high school academies promoting specialization in financial services and other fields. A sidebar discusses the growing momentum for building state workplace…

In order to remain competitive, a new economic system requires employees to be better educated, be more creative, work in teams, solve problems, make decisions, and improve and upgrade skills and education. As technology advances and companies push employees to assume more responsibility, the traditional vocational system will be in the spotlight.…