Greenville Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 28) from the pros • Provide more internships, apprenticeships and “real world” experiences for students. • Create stronger connections between schools, their communities and local businesses. • Create more links between high schools, technical schools and 2- and 4-year colleges and universities. • Offer a greater number of Honors, AP and IB courses and better guidance to help students select and prepare for these courses. • Integrate more foreign language into the curriculum. • Expand school-to-work and vocational programs to provide on-the-job/ skill-based training during school hours. • Ensure that coursework is more aligned with job requirements and the needs of the state’s economy. n politics by with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce John deWorken Legislators, Advocates Taking Health Care Crisis Head on ealth care is complex. Many people have a hard enough time figuring out their own health care, let alone how to fix the crises the state and nation face in the sheer number of uninsured and the severely rising costs of health care to small businesses. Thankfully, there are leaders in both the private sector and the S.C. General Assembly who have not shied away from the daunting task of lassoing health care costs. The state legislature is working to pass a Greenville Chamber-backed small business health insurance package that will allow small businesses to pool together to obtain competitive rates. This bill is particularly beneficial to smaller businesses in town. The private sector, in addition to advocating for small business health insurance pools, is pushing for affordable health insurance through tax incentives to small businesses that offer health insurance to their employees. In addition, the S.C. Chamber and others proposed a plan, called Covering the Carolinas, which is aimed at getting more South Carolinians covered. This plan is expected to lower rates for small businesses. Whatever ends up getting enacted by the General Assembly, it is comforting to know that they and the private sector, including the Greenville Chamber, are working diligently to deliver more affordable health insurance rates to small businesses. n John DeWorken is vice president and lobbyist for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at 864-905-5529. H ARCHITECTS AWHS C E H C I I R R R 28 Greenville MaGazine | w w w. a w h s a r c h i t e c t s. c o m april 2008 http://www.awhsarchitects.com http://www.awhsarchitects.com http://www.awhsarchitects.com
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