Relative Supply of Skilled Labor
Education is an important factor in increasing skill level. The increase in number of people attending high schools and colleges contribute to the increase in the supply of skilled labor. Mass education, however, is not the only factor. Immigration is also a big contributor. Immigrants created a bimodal skill distribution, where most immigrants were either low skill or high skill workers. There were few who were in between.
Historical Reference - In the United States such factors have caused an overall increase in the supply of skilled labor during the 20th century. The shift from unskilled to skilled labor can be attributed to increases in human capital, or in other words increasing the efficiency of humans through investment in knowledge. The American boom in public education, specifically high schools, congruently increased the level of human capital and total factor productivity.
Read more about this topic: Skill (labor)
Famous quotes containing the words relative, supply, skilled and/or labor:
“Are not all finite beings better pleased with motions relative than absolute?”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)
“Municipal laws are a supply to the wisdom of each individual; and, at the same time, by restraining the natural liberty of men, make private interest submit to the interest of the public.”
—David Hume (17111776)
“Many people operate under the assumption that since parenting is a natural adult function, we should instinctively know how to do itand do it well. The truth is, effective parenting requires study and practice like any other skilled profession. Who would even consider turning an untrained surgeon loose in an operating room? Yet we operate on our children every day.”
—Louise Hart (20th century)
“Learning without thinking is labor lost; thinking without learning is dangerous.”
—Chinese proverb.