Local leaders discuss issues in education at Detroit summit
The Education Nation tour landed in downtown Detroit for a summit Friday.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE FULL FORECAST IN A FEW MINUTES. ANDREW, THANK YOU. ALL WEEK LONG LOCAL 4 IS TEAMING UP WITH NBC NEWS BRINGING THE EDUCATION NATION TOUR TO LOCAL SCHOOLS. BUT TODAY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TO KICK THINGS OFF EDUCATION NATION HELD A SUMMIT DOWNTOWN WHERE LOCAL LEADERS AND EDUCATORS GOT TOGETHER TO DISCUSS CRITICAL ISSUES IN EDUCATION. OUR OWN DEVON SCILLIAN IS THERE NOW LIVE. GOOD AFTERNOON? Reporter: HI, SHAWN. THIS IS GOING TO SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LIKE I'M COVERING A GOLF TOURNAMENT BECAUSE WE'VE JUST STARTED THE AFTERNOON SESSION WHICH, BY THE WAY, I'LL TELL YOU WE ARE STREAMING ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM. BUT CAN YOU SEE HERE AT THE CHARLES H. WRIGHT MUSEUM FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY WE HAVE A HUGE CROWD HERE. RIGHT NOW, CHELSEA CLINTON ON STAGE TALKING WITH A GROUP OF BUSINESS LEADERS ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF EDUCATION AND BUSINESS. EARLIER THIS MORNING, A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON DETROIT-SPECIFIC ISSUES. WE OF COURSE OF COURSE HERE HAVE WELL DOCUMENTED THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HOW THE STATE PLAYS INTO ALL THAT. I SUPPOSE YOU COULD SAY WE'RE MOVING ON TO WHERE MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. ARE WE PREPARING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR TODAY'S ECONOMY. WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE COMMIDITY COME OUT OF COLLEGE THERE DON'T SEEM TO BE JOBS WAITING FOR THEM MUCH LESS PEOPLE COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL EXPECTING TO FIND WORK. A LOT OF THE EMPLOYERS HERE TALKING ABOUT THE GAP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THOSE WHO ARE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL AND THE EMPLOYMENT THAT IS THERE. WE JUST HEARD THREE MILLION JOBS RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED STATES THAT ARE OPEN AND NO TAKERS BECAUSE THE SKILL SET ISN'T QUITE THERE. THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS NOW AS WE MOVE INTO THE AFTERNOON. A LOT THOUGH COMING UP HERE OVER THESE NEXT 48 HOURS. REALLY TERRIFIC THAT NBC CHOSE DETROIT TO KICK OFF THIS YEAR'S EDUCATION NATION AND A LOT OF THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVE HERE THE GENERAL MOTORS FOUNDATION ALSO THE KELLOGG FOUNDATION WHICH ARE BOTH KEENLY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN NOT ONLY MICHIGAN BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DETROIT. WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP FOR YOU LATER TODAY ON LOCAL 4 NEWS. SHAWN, BACK TO YOU. KEVIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US CHECK THAT OUT THIS AFTERNOON. STICK AROUND AFTER OUR NEWSCAST FOR OUR EDUCATION NATION SPECIAL JOB ONE. WE'LL BE LIVE FROM THAT SUM WHERE IT DEVON JUST WAS WHERE A PANEL DISCUSSION WILL FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF MICHIGAN AND GOVERNOR RICK SNYDER WILL BE JOINING IN ON THAT TOPIC. THAT'S RIGHT AFTER OUR NEWSCAST.
