Arkansas Blog

"...but on subsequent visits, they determined that the area's [northern Mississippi] workforce was "educated, ethical and friendly."

I'll vouch for that. My ancestors came to western Arkansas from northern Mississippi in 1870 and we have always been "educated, ethical and friendly." *grin*

[Toyota] determined that [Mississippi's] workforce was "educated, ethical and friendly." ???

Not to slam our sister state (much), but where'd they get the ringers? On the other hand, who from Arkansas worked to get the plant at Marion?

Some 5 or 6 or so years ago I was sitting in an airline club room in a neighboring state and struck up a conversation with a contingent of three representaitves of an automobile manufacturer who were on their way home from a meeting or a site vist concerning a possible manufacturing facility in AR.

They mentioned one over-riding concern. EDUCATION of the workforce from which they draw their labor force.

Now, I'm reminded of that conversation, as I hear the comments and analysis concerning the very disappointing news in Marion.

That is bad when even Mississippi is cited as having a better educated workforce. You'd think at least we could've tied them.

But hey..Go Hogs. That seems to be what counts and where our real passion lies. Maybe someday we'll get a plant that inflates footballs and basketballs for distribution to the world.

The Toyota man's comment reminds me of the demographic realities which go into these decisions. This sounds similar to the rationale which in the late 50's early 60's saw emerging electronics corporations setting up shop along Route 128, the circumfrential highway around Boston. The reason for locating there -- abudnant cheap labor, former textile mill workers, who knew how to work an assembly line process.
Toyota just thinks its blowing smoke up the Mississippi tail pipe!

See http://blogs.business2.com/dawnpatrol/2007/02/my_state_can_be.html

Marion fails again to get a Toyota plant. Maybe the state needs to stop trying to sell just one location. As much as that part of the state needs a facility like this I would rather see it in Arkansas than in some other state. Are we puttin all our eggs in one basket? With Whirlpool fading away like the old soldier we in West Arkansas have an industrial workforce ready to go. We also have UAFS which is dedicated to workforce training. ADEC needs to consider the whole state.

FSB, the eggs are rotten and the basket's full of holes. I'm glad UAFS is there, but it isn't a trade school, or shouldn't be;it is , or should be, an institution of HIGHER learning.Another example of lack of State focus and waste of our money. I'm on your side, brother, and it hurts me also to see Whirlpool go down the drain, but that's the price to be paid for lack of vision and ignorance of changing economic situations. By the way, can you afford a new Toyota pickup? I can't. Mine's a 1979.

Polly, didn't mean to indicate UAFS was a trade school. Far from it. But it does train in needed technology with 4 year degrees in such. Whirlpoolies are used to making $17 per hr. Have the skills and can be retrained as needed. Baldor is very tech ingtensive and the tech building is named Baldor.