According to recent reports in the news, American manufacturers are reporting a surge in sales because parents have become concerned about the safety of toys made in China. About 80 percent of toys sold in the United States are made in China; so far this year, Mattel Inc. has recalled more than 20 million toys made there. Since the round of recalls in August, a Middlebury-based wooden toy company, Maple Landmark Inc., has seen its sales grow by 70 percent, reports The Burlington Free Press on Oct. 14.
— Source: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com
Job seekers are steadily increasing their use of the Internet as a key part of their job search, according to The Conference Board, an international business membership and research organization. In the most recent survey of workers who searched for a job between January and September 2007, 73 percent reported using the Internet, compared with 66 percent of job seekers in the same time period in 2005.
Most job seekers continue to use more than one method in searching for a job. Online and print ads were not mutually exclusive, and they are still the most frequently used methods of exploring job openings. However, more than half of job seekers reported networking through friends and colleagues as part of their job search. About one-quarter responded that they used other methods, such as employment agencies.
The research shows that the Internet is being used for a variety of job search functions, from gathering employer/job information (59 percent of job seekers) and submitting resumes and applications (57 percent), to posting resumes on a Web site (40 percent) and signing up for e-mail notifications (30 percent).
The Conference Board also produces The Consumer Confidence Index and the Leading Economic Indicators.
— Source: http://www.conference-board.org
A new, nationwide poll of registered voters reveals that Americans are deeply concerned that the United States is not teaching young people the skills they need to compete in the global economy.
Eighty percent of voters say that the kind of skills students need to learn to be prepared for the jobs of the 21st century is different from what they needed 20 years ago. Yet 60 percent say that schools have done only a fair or poor job keeping up with changing educational needs.
The national poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Peter D. Hart Research Associates on behalf of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Among the other key findings:
— Source: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
Chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and hypertension take quite a toll on American workers, according to a study by the American Hospital Association.
The three chronic conditions cause working Americans to miss an estimated 164 million work days each year at a cost of $30 billion to employers. Of these three conditions, asthma takes the greatest toll.
Among other results, the study found:
Among working Americans, the incidence of chronic conditions is on the rise. Improving the health of working Americans can have a big impact on the economy. According to Harvard economists, a one-year improvement in the life expectancy of the U.S. population translates into a 4 percent increase in gross domestic product, an increase currently equal to about $540 billion.
— Source: http://www.aha.org
Last modified November 01 2007 12:52 PM
