The Growing Gap in Retraining

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The Federal Government has hopes for the $3.5 billion Job Training Partnership Act, which begins Oct. 1. Seventy percent of its funds will go toward instruction. During its first year, the new act is expected to provide training for 1 million disadvantaged youths and adults as well as 100,000 displaced workers.

This latest Government effort, however, is merely a Band-Aid solution, and Government money cannot supply anywhere near the whole answer anyway. As far as technology and automation are concerned, suggested the Office of Technology Assessment in its report last week, "there is little evidence that any sector—including private industry—is seriously considering the long-range implications." The implications of that message are weighty, and the sooner they sink in, the better.

—By Alexander L. Taylor III.

Reported by Gisela Bolte/Washington and Sara White/Boston