The Secretary of Labor's recommendations for changing the U.S. work force include (1) bridging the gap between workers and employment opportunities; (2) improving the school-to-work transition; (3) providing lifelong learning opportunities for current workers; and (4) preparing all potential workers in the shrinking labor pool. (SK)

Productivity is a central issue these days in any discussion about the economy. However, there is much more talk about productivity than there is real knowledge. We need a clear understanding of what direction productivity improvement efforts will take and what efforts are required to retrain the existing work force. (SSH)