• home
• Registration
• About Us
• Sponsors
• Contact Us
• Directions

FACT SHEET AND TALKING POINTS FOR “CREATE A JOB INITIATIVE”

 

Q: What is “Create a Job Initiative”? 

ANS: It is a student-lead  dialogue with industry, faculty, and government  on how to create jobs for Americans. The initiative challenges   student organizations to work with faculty and industry leaders to host  conferences at their schools on  how to create jobs; and to draft 10-20 page White Papers that will be sent to appropriate government agencies on their response to the question:    “Where are the new industries and markets for job creation.”

 

Q:  Who is this Initiative geared toward?

ANS: Educational institutions, students,  faculty, industry leaders  and alumni who have an interest, expertise or expectation in pursuing job opportunities in a given industry. This is a unique opportunity to allow institutions to use their existing network of alumni to help graduates who are looking for jobs and/or trying to find their niche in the job market. 

 

Q:  How do students, faculty and industry leaders become active in this Initiative?

ANS: Students, along with a faculty advisor,  will be asked to  research and talk to  experts  about their ideas,   publish their findings, and formulate recommendations  for creating jobs in one or more selected industries.  Your  findings should  be  reported at your conference and  published in  a series of 10-20 page White Papers that will be submitted to the appropriate US, state and/or local government officials;  and posted on a  website.  We will try to have a central repository of all papers linked to each participating institution’s homepage.  This is not a contest, but a call for students to come together  for a thoughtful  exchange of  ideas and solutions on creating jobs. 

 

Q: When will this Initiative begin?

ANS: Law students at  San Diego area law schools have come together to kick off this “CREATE A JOB INITIATIVE”  at an upcoming conference on March 27, 2010 at California Western School of Law in San Diego, California entitled, “CREATE A JOB INITIATIVE:  EXPANDING INTO GLOBAL MARKETS  THROUGH TRANSBORDER LICENSING.”  The conference will  focus on  how to create jobs  by exporting US technology  abroad.   Diverse US and foreign law students from California Western School of Law, Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and University of San Diego Law School, have brought together  legal, entrepreneurial, and academic minds from top institutions and businesses in Southern California  to discuss how to facilitate the export of US technology to Pan Asia, Europe, Latin and South American, and China.  The students will present a series of White Papers on their findings during the plenary session of the conference.    Students have invited  US Trade Representative Ron Kirk,  Karen Mills, SBA , and Gary Locke, Commerce Department Secretary  to respond to their recommendations.

Other schools are challenged to select an industry that impacts their region or in which their students have an interest to conduct a conference, research and draft a White Paper with recommendations,  and invite all of the stakeholders to participate and respond. It will be up to the students to frame the issues that will be discussed, conduct the research and make the presentations. Faculty should help provide structure; a framework for understanding the issues, perhaps as an outgrowth of a course topic or research.  The key is that it should be tailored to the students and their community, however, they define it.    

 

Q: Why would government leaders  participate in a student-lead movement or a conference on creating jobs through exporting technology?

ANS:  There are four main reasons why government leaders should be interested in what the students have to say.  First, President Obama has taken significant steps forward in addressing the economy and inspiring America. Critics, however, give the Administration failing or incomplete marks on job creation, education and world affairs.

 This is a grass roots initiative by  persons  age 18-30, who will be most affected by the policies of the Obama Administration,  participating in a dialogue and offering suggestions that promote self-sufficiency and economic development.  As for listening to young people, President Obama credits his election in large part to the efforts of young voters.  President Obama has also shown an interest in engaging in a dialogue with students,  as young as age 11 (Cf. Damien Weaver’s interview with President Obama (Ebony 12/09,  2/10)).  Why would he not want to listen to a nonpartisan, diverse group of law students.  

Second, Trade Representative Ron Kirk   proposed during his trip to Ghana that expanding such trade agreements as the African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) will create jobs and encourage development.  He said, “I believe in the power of trade to help nations create jobs and encourage development.” It was noted that to achieve this goal, US entrepreneurs need to be taught how to turn ideas and technology into business plans that will be successful in securing financing.[1]   That is a role that educational institutions can share with government.  For a group of law students in Southern California, the focus will be  to facilitate greater exports by discussing different models for increasing trade exports and jobs.

Third,  Rochelle Lipsitz, Acting Asst Secretary for Trade Promotion & Director General of International Trade Association stated that Commerce Secretary Gary Locke “strongly believes in the link between exports and US jobs.” Less than 1% of US companies export and only 58% of these companies export to only one market.   In 2008, US is exported $1.84 trillion worth of goods and services  and estimated that close to 10 million US jobs were required to produce and ship  these exports.  She indicated that Secretary’s Locke’s vision is for “Every US business [needs] to see the world as its marketplace.”  Law students in San Diego share  Secretary’s Locke’s vision and want to contribute to that discussion.

Fourth, Dennis Hightower reiterated the Obama Administration’s commitment to job creation by increasing US exports, at the 7th Annual Global Business Conference (sponsored by Philadelphia’s World Trade Center).  “The Obama Administration understands that to get our economy back on track and to get it creating new American jobs, international trade must continue to grow.”[2]    “US manufacturing needs guidance on  selecting new markets and how to get started.”  Academia is uniquely  positioned to facilitate an open dialogue with industry and experts about new and cost effective ways of exporting their product and services.

Statistics:

-        In 2008, US is exported $1.84 trillion worth of goods and services  and estimated that close to 10 million US jobs were required to produce and ship  these exports. 

-        In 2009, U.S. exports accounted for more than 11 % of America’s GDP. Industries such as aviation, machinery and electronic products now depend

on exports for up to half of their sales.  [3]

-        HOWEVER, Less than 1% of US companies export and only 58% of these companies export to only one market. [4]  

-        China and India currently account for 7% of US exports, but nearly 40 percent of the world population. [5]  There are untapped market opportunities.

-        Commerce Dept. ‘s International Trade Administration’s US and Foreign Commercial Service has trade experts in 109 domestic and 126 international offices in 77 countries to assist firms in exporting products and services. [6]

-        In fiscal year 2009, US firms reported 12,335 export successes that were assisted by the Commercial Service; 832 of these successes were from SME [small-medium size enterprises]. [7]

 Students in each school or region have to identify faculty, regulators,  policy holders, and those persons who can impact on job creation; invite them to sit down and discuss how to create jobs for Americans.

 

Q: What will this Initiative cost and how will it be funded?

ANS: it up to the students, in consultation with their faculty advisor and/or the administration to decide the most appropriate way to  host and fund a conference. The intent is that each conference can be funded through traditional funding sources, such as  student organizations,  raising money from the school or through donations or sponsorships.   What is being promoted is the need to engage in a dialogue and call to action; not the creation of an organization with infrastructure, staff and other costs. It is a grass roots initiative using the internet and technology to bring people together at low cost.  

 For example,   law students at California Western School of Law decided  to make the event free and open to the public.  They received a donation from a faculty advisor and  partnered with a couple of student organizations that requested funds.  They are also raising funds from other participating institutions, trade organizations and sponsors.  Invitations will be sent out, directed at lawyers, the local and regional business and trade organizations, small to medium sized businesses that export their technology or are interested in doing so and government officials.

Most of the  speakers are alumni or work with  nonprofit or government organizations in the area, such as the  SBA;  and  who have agreed to appear on a panel  without honoraria or other compensation. Most of the panelists  have also agreed to  spend four hours reviewing the students’ proposals and giving them feedback. Invited guests from out of town will be participating via Skype or webconferencing, so there is no extra charge. Panelists are fed lunch, along with the students, and other participants may purchase a box lunch.  This is not a contest, but the benefits will be immeasurable.

  

 

Q: What happens after the conference?

ANS: That will be up to the students, faculty and community. One goal is to plant seeds of innovation that give rise to new industries, or increase jobs within a selected industry, simply by bringing together all of the stakeholders. Another goal may be to expand the dialogue into other industries, allowing the institution to become a catalyst for change, self-sufficiency and innovation.  For example, an institution and alumni groups could create incubator programs for graduating students, or expand internship placements for students.   Finally, graduates may take responsibility to help drive change  as future policymakers, lawyers, entrepreneurs or academicians.    

At California Western School of Law, the students have claimed ownership in their future by hosting this conference and realizing that they do have a voice. They are  making something happen, which helps them to focus their energies on their own careers and job prospects.  Students’ confidence has   grown and that sense of helplessness at the  job prospects has been replaced with diligence, perseverance and determination that failure is not an option.  The net effect is that the young people of today  will be creating  jobs and  new industries for tomorrow.  

   

Q: How do I get more information?

Contact Professor Andrea Johnson at California Western School of Law alj@cwsl.edu  or Lori Cooper at hicoop@aol.com.

 

Other contacts:

www.trade.gove/cs/   Commerce promotion activities

 

http://www.trade.gov/speeches/lipsitz_20909.asp   Testimony of Rochelle Lipsitz

 

Tim Truman  (202) 482-3809  “Export Promotion Linked to Job Creation”

 

Robert Brown, ABA  Committee on Privatization, Partner at Greenbaum & Dole, in Louisville Kentucky

 

Alan Gutterman, Gen’l  Counsel of ASI Computer Technology  (distributors of computer products)

 

Martin Selander, U.S. Export-Import Technical Center, invited Martin.selander@sba.gov

 

Matt Anderson  US export Assistance Center  http://www.buyusa.gov/sandiego/

 

 

 

---