Over time, they could determine the number of employees who return to their organization to work and then compare the cost of training for such employees with the cost of training more traditionally hired trainees. Business and industry need not take on the business of education-at least not as a primary function. However, they would benefit directly from collaborative efforts with educators that facilitate early work-based learning opportunities and generate an improved pool of future workers. Intervention in education would also significantly improve the image of business and industry as socially responsible organizations that are willing to promote the general welfare in the communities in which they operate. The Advantage for Education Technology continues to advance so rapidly that even profitable companies with huge profit margins have difficulty keeping up, even though millions of dollars per year are poured into HRD programs and contingent efforts to develop work force competencies.
Education is even more limited in resources.
By opening our classrooms and extending them into the community, our educational systems can gain access to state of the art technology and subject matter experts-vital pieces of the educational puzzle if America is to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Duplicating work place resources in the classroom is unnecessarily costly and redundant and can be avoided if education will collaborate with the community at large. Sharing the burden of educating youth can reform our entire educational system into one that is efficient and effective. The marriage of HRD and education, through preventive approaches, could have a tremendous impact on improving the work force of the future. The Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills.