Is the United States work force slipping?(state sources)(Brief article)

In recent years, economic experts have contended that American workers are not well-prepared for jobs in the new economy. However, experts from the Economic Policy Institute have examined available data and found that much of the evidence to support a skills deficit either contradicts the idea of a skills gap or is weak, missing or ambiguous.

Northeastern University sociologist Michael J. Handel examined the gap from the perspective of workers and employers and evaluated data on educational attainment, occupational distribution and employer surveys.

"It may not be a complete myth that America has some skills issues," said Handel, "but there is a forest of contrary evidence, caveats and open questions that has gone largely unrecognized in the focus on a few fairly isolated trees."

The research contends that American workers are better educated than they were in the past in both quality of education and attainment level. Math and reading skills ...