This minute I am watching & listening to the interview between Charlie Rose and Jeffrey Immelt, the Chairman & CEO of GE (General Electric) on my local PBS station.

GE is one of the few big American technology companies that have survived. Mr. Immelt has some very piquant points to make.

He is continually pointing out the importance of keeping the WORKFORCE competitive. To paraphrase, American companies certainly “have” made some mistakes when it comes to outsourcing the wrong things… not supporting the training and education resources American companies need in order to be competitive in the global market… thinking of our American companies as somehow different from those abroad.

GE and similar companies who are primary source providers of aerospace and other high-tech products need to make sure their workforce is well-educated and well-trained. That’s what our competitors are doing – why aren’t we?

Why aren’t we considering our own American people – our parents, husbands and wives, our sons and daughters -  as assets to be treated as such!

We must turn around the attitude of American business owners, boards, investors, and – yes – the employees themselves. We must deal with the fact that to be competitive in a global market – and to keep our successful employers & employees alive – we all need to think and work smarter.

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Immelt’s comments on how GE has remained not just viable, but successful.  Obviously, don’t let our local, state, and federal governments cut back on funding for technical colleges and universities. For me in the WNC area, that means Asheville-Buncombe Technical CC, Blue Ridge Community College, and the University of NC Asheville. Industrial companies should also invest in in-house employee training programs – for example, such as those provided by Topaz, a professional hi-tech training development company in my area.

It isn’t a nebulous problem, people. Actually measuring the Return On Investment in people and education is a piece of cake compared to most of the metrics I wrangle with on a daily basis as an internet marketer.

But listen up – as employees, we “also” have to invest our time, effort and ambitions in our own education and training. If we want American business to survive, everyone – from top to bottom – has to be invested in the process. Success is success – you win, I win, they win, we all win.

-Sponge