By Cathy Higgins
BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Economic development was the focus of Gov. Robert Bentley’s visit to Bay Minette Wednesday afternoon.
During a community meeting in a nearly filled Bay Minette City Council Chamber, Bentley told those present that he wanted to focus on bringing industry to north Baldwin County.
“Y’all are not as dependent on tourism dollars up here,” he told the audience. “We need more manufacturing jobs in here.”
Bentley pointed to the new mega-site as an ideal outlet for that goal.
“We want to try to continue to entice industries to that facility,” he said.
The governor said he has already worked on recruiting, bring 7,000 jobs into Alabama this year.
“I’m hoping by the end of this year to be announcing 10,000 new jobs,” Bentley said.
He pointed to new jobs announced earlier this year in Clarke and Wilcox County, which had 16 and 23 percent unemployment rates, respectively, before recruiting new industries to those areas.
North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Margo Allen asked Bentley how he thought career-technical training fit into his vision.
“I’m a very strong proponent of technical training,” the governor replied, saying that improvements are needed. “We do a good job, right now, of training industrial-skill workers in two-year programs. But we’ve gotten away from that in the high schools.”
Bentley said he didn’t believe all high-school graduates needed a four-year college degree to have a successful career. He pointed to welding and other skills that don’t require as much training time.
“With them, you make more money and get a job quicker,” he said.
By using the licenced practicing nurse industry as an example, Bentley said a dual enrollment program for skills would enable students to have a two-year degree when they finish high school.
“By the time you finish high school, you’ve gotten certified as an L.P.N.,” he said.
On a similar track, Clarence Henderson of Men of the Coalition asked Bentley about now defunct state summer job programs for students.
“You don’t have state programs like they used to,” he said, explaining that such programs used to provide teenagers with the opportunity to work in civil service and other industries when not in school.
“I don’t know what the answer is to that right now,” Bentley responded, challenging Henderson to come up with a solution.
“I’ve got some ideas,” Henderson said.
Also during his visit, Bentley received invitations to take part in the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Mims in 2013 and in next year’s 20th anniversary of Habitat for Humanity.
