David Swanson / Staff Photographer
“I believe there is definitely a literacy problem,” says James Clark, Aker Philadelphia Shipyard’s training manager. In 2008, 313 people completed applications for the shipyard’s apprentice program. Of them, 280 showed up to take an entrance test that required basic 10th-grade literacy. Only 125 passed. The top 15 began training in January.
Philadelphia's literacy problems
A study by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board shows that half the Philadelphia city workforce does not have sufficient math or reading ability to handle the vast majority of jobs in the city.
The study prepared for the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board will be summarized over the weekend, with links to be added Monday to research. It can be found here
This U.S. Department of Education Web site explains the 2003 national literacy survey and includes definitions of the various forms of literacy, as well as sample questions, and provides links to state and county estimates of literacy. Check it out here
This Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center Web site showcases some of the group's workforce development efforts. Read about them here
