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HANKINS ADDRESSES ECONOMY, STATE ISSUES

By Ezra Mann/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 8:31 AM CDT

While Pine Bluff is not ignoring the lack of skilled labor in the manufacturing sector with Southeast Arkansas College and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff working on programs, those in the industrial sector are not doing everything they could do, Jeff Hankins, president and publisher of Arkansas Business Publishing Group, told members of two local civic clubs Tuesday.

Hankins served as the speaker for the 26th annual Industry Appreciation Day sponsored by the Pine Bluff and West Pine Bluff Rotary clubs.

He said it is not too far fetched to say if enough younger people aren’t trained to take jobs over when baby boomers retire, there could be a crisis. He added that those in the manufacturing and other sectors must offer more encouragement and make it clear that learning that extra skill helps in the long-term career process.

“You can’t manufacture people to feel passionate. You have to show them your passion,” Hankins said.

The United States has reached a point where a high school degree alone is not enough to go very far in most jobs and to make sure future generations can properly take the reins, young people need to start as early as possible in their career goals, Hankins said.

He noted that hiring just to hire a warm body wastes time and effort.

“If you don’t have the right people on your staff to do the right job, then you have accomplished nothing,” Hankins said.

Hankins said it is vitally important to properly train and prepare the workforce to face challenges, adding it is a cultural challenge in Arkansas to convince many young the effort is worth it, but it must be done to preserve the workforce.

After the presentation Hankins was asked how he felt about the natural gas severance tax issue and an Arkansas lottery. He said the state government is on the right track with the tax and he said he applauds the natural gas companies for their willingness to negotiate.

However, Hankins said he does not support the proposed state lottery since a large portion will still go to the federal government, but the public seems to like the idea enough to vote for it.

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