[spunkets]

"Would you say the same if it was your job?"

You missed the point. Jobs can't be imported, or exported. The idea that they can be is ridiculous. My job and pay rests on my ability to meet the requirements of demand in the presence of the available supply. I recognize that.

"Again I ask, where will they learn the skills to do the jobs and do you really think that companies will hire someone that has no clue how to do a job, just because they know how to "operate in the world"?"

The point is that regardless of how skills are aquired, the acquisition of those skills does not guarantee income, or even a job. If there are a million rocket scientists and only a hundred job openings, the pay will be low. Since the brain power and skill of a rocket scientist is reported to be high, there will be those with understanding that are versatile enough by choice to compete in another field, or create their own niche. The same applies regardless of skill level.

[looscnnn]

"Jobs can't be imported, or exported."

Really, so those US programmers at IBM did not lose their jobs and those positions were not given to workers in India? That consititues exporting a job.

"My job and pay rests on my ability to meet the requirements of demand in the presence of the available supply."

So if you do not meet this demand, your salary decreases at your job? I assume you work on commision then.

"The point is that regardless of how skills are aquired, the acquisition of those skills does not guarantee income, or even a job. If there are a million rocket scientists and only a hundred job openings, the pay will be low. Since the brain power and skill of a rocket scientist is reported to be high, there will be those with understanding that are versatile enough by choice to compete in another field, or create their own niche. The same applies regardless of skill level."

If you have 5 people vying for a position, employers look for the "most bang for the buck". That means that they will hire someone that knows what they are doing for a couple dollars/hr more that someone that has no clue what they are doing. Also, how skills are aquired is relevant if you say that colleges should not be used for teaching job skills.