We couldn’t agree with the Journal more…NM’s education system is holding back our economy

The Albuquerque Journal editorial board beat me to it with this excellent editorial on Intel’s struggles to hire from New Mexico’s all-too-shallow talent pool. This is not the first mention of the lack of necessary talent in our fair state. In fact, Jerry Pacheco of the Journal had another article recently in which manufacturers looking to do business in the state are unable to find enough skilled employees.

The Journal rightly notes in the editorial that education is a big problem, but if I have a quibble with the article it is that they don’t focus on ALL aspects of New Mexico’s education system. After all, before students go on to PhD’s and Masters’ in high-tech fields, they need a basic understanding of math and science (not to mention reading). With New Mexico failing nearly half its K-12 students and even the skill sets of graduates up for debate, it is no wonder that Intel and other businesses do not locate here. Why in the world would Intel expand here when they can’t find enough workers as it is?

Of course, as I wrote just yesterday, there are some who think platitudes and pledges to reform are enough and then there are real reformers which include but are by no means limited to Gov. Martinez and the Rio Grande Foundation.