OPERANNG OPPORTUNITIES

WALLY LYNCH Paid Associates PO. Box 741623 Dallas. Tx.75243

HE ESTIMATES run from 20to37 million functional illiterates in this country. The huge difference in the guesstimates is generally attributedto theforeign speaking people who have yet to learn English. While there are several classifications of illiterary, there is general agreement that most native English speaking illiterates have completed the l0th grade or reached 16 as required by law in most states.

Illiteracy in the work force is often identified as 20% Some of these people are now working within this industry. Sadly, the majority have completed their formal education.

Compare this, if you will, with the .'job literary" at your company. You attend conventions consistently. sign up for seminars and workshops. read trade magazines. maybe this column and others like it. You also make sure that some of your middle management people do the same in part or totally.

But. man, you say, it's expensive! But it's worth it. The speaken are really entertaining and at the same time they give you a lesson.

Now think back on your own formal education. Some college educators allow class par-

Second Quarter Starts Up 4o/o

Construction of new housing units in the second quarter of 1986 rose 4% above the same period of 1985.

"Lower mortgage rates are reshaping housing demand toward a larger proportion of single-fami-ly homes in 1986," said George A. Christie, vice president and ticipation where a srudent only sia in class and listens to lectures. It's called auditing a class. A basic course in economics. advertising. marketing. retailing might meet 4 houn ueekly for 16 weeks. Studens take no examinations. nol unlike workshops and seminan.

Educaton think so linle of this that they give no credit toward a degree or diploma for 64 houn ofjust listening. Since there has been no test of the student's proficiency. comprehension and understanding of the lecture material is unknown. The listener's functional ability with the subject ouside of academia is another unknown.

If you think the educaton are wrong in this posture. ask yourself a few questions. What was the subject ofthe last seminar and/or workshop you anended? What did you learn? What did you do with the information that you could take to the bank? Why did you anend?

You won't like the answers. but are you do. ing the same thing to the hourly paid people in your organization'l You have monthly sales clinics put on by supplien. Everyone also goes through indoctrination training as well as O.J.T. (on the job training).

Fine. but let's examine this "job literacy program." [rt's see what sort of bread you're casting on the wateB. Indoctrination certainly is a necessity and proficiency can be quickly determined through various means. A monthly chief economist for F. W. Dodge. "The latest quarter's total of 518,059 housing starts consisted of 62% one-family units, up significantly from last year's 54%."

The Los Angeles-Long Beach, Ca., area led the nation with 19,241 new units. Washington, D.C. ranked second with 13J36 units.