Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Daily Archives: August 27, 2014

National Standards for Strong Apprenticeships

Sarah Ayres | August 27, 2014

“Apprenticeship, a time-tested model of worker training, can help meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the United States. Expanding apprenticeship, however, will require employers to understand its value. While today’s registered apprenticeship programs are high quality, few employers know what an apprenticeship entails or what competencies a potential employee who has completed an apprenticeship possesses. This is especially true in fields other than building and construction, where the majority of apprenticeships are now concentrated. As policymakers look to expand apprenticeships into new sectors and occupations—such as advanced manufacturing, health care, and information technology—it will be crucial to establish apprenticeship as a credible form of certification in the eyes of employers. To accomplish this, employers should develop industrywide standards that validate that a worker who has successfully completed an apprenticeship possesses the specific knowledge and competencies required for employment in that industry. By developing a robust apprenticeship system, the United States can better meet business demand for skilled labor and strengthen its competiveness in the global economy. Today more than ever, the United States requires new tools to equip workers with the skills employers need. Almost half of all U.S. employers report that they have a hard time filling jobs because candidates lack technical competencies. By 2020, the nation will experience a shortage of 3 million workers with associate’s degrees or higher and a shortage of about 5 million workers with technical certificates and credentials, according to a Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis.”

New Statistics on the Activities of U.S. Multinational Enterprises Now Available

“The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released preliminary 2012 statistics on the outward activities of multinational enterprises (AMNEs). Outward AMNE statistics cover the worldwide activities of U.S. multinational enterprises (MNEs). These statistics provide information on the finance and operations of U.S. MNEs, including balance sheet and income statement details, employment and employee compensation, sales, value added, capital… Continue Reading

CRS – China’s Economic Rise

China’s Economic Rise: History, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States. Wayne M. Morrison, Specialist in Asian Trade and Finance, August 21, 2014. “The rapid rise of China as a major economic power within a time span of about three decades is often described by analysts as one of the greatest economic success stories in modern times.… Continue Reading

Climate Change and Existing Law: A Survey of Legal Issues Past, Present, and Future

CRS – Climate Change and Existing Law: A Survey of Legal Issues Past, Present, and Future. Robert Meltz, Legislative Attorney. August 20, 2014. “This report surveys existing law for legal issues that have arisen, or may arise in the future, on account of climate change and government responses thereto.The reader interested in proposals for new laws to deal with… Continue Reading

High level hacking of US financial system linked to Russia as FBI investigates

Bloomberg: “Russian hackers attacked the U.S. financial system in mid-August, infiltrating and stealing data from JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and at least one other bank, an incident the FBI is investigating as a possible retaliation for government-sponsored sanctions, according to two people familiar with the probe. The attack resulted in the loss of gigabytes of sensitive data,… Continue Reading

IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Quarterly, 3Q 2014

Get a closer look at Heartbleed—from the latest attack activity to mitigation strategies – using 2014 mid-year data and ongoing research. IBM, August 2014. “Welcome to the latest quarterly report from the IBM® X-Force® research and development team. In this report, we’ll look at how the Heartbleed vulnerability—CVE-2014-0160, disclosed in April 2014—impacted organizations around the world.… Continue Reading

2013 Annual Survey of Public Pensions

2013 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State-Administered Defined Benefit Data: “Provides a comprehensive look at the financial activity of the nation’s state-administered defined benefit pension systems, including cash and investment holdings, receipts, payments, pension obligations and membership information. Statistics are shown at the national level and for individual states. The total cash and investment holdings… Continue Reading

An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024

“The federal budget deficit has fallen sharply during the past few years, and it is on a path to decline further this year and next year. However, later in the coming decade, if current laws governing federal taxes and spending generally remained unchanged, revenues would grow only slightly faster than the economy and spending would… Continue Reading