EDITORIAL
Hawai'i job seeker: Prepare thyself

With more than $2 billion worth of military housing contracts coming our way, Hawai'i is girding for an explosion of construction.

What we want is a sustainable boom, not a bubble. So, how do we ensure that?

First of all, we need a skilled and drug-free workforce, and that's turning out to be more of a challenge than anticipated.

Some employers have lamented that many local job seekers aren't cutting the mustard because of poor language skills or drug use. It's time for the University of Hawai'i to partner with businesses and set up training programs to sharpen language and number skills.

The language skills, both communicating and reading and writing, are particularly important. Too many bright young Islanders are losing out on opportunities to have a craft or a career because they lack the basic skills needed to learn a job and grow with it as responsibilities are added.

And ultimately, training must extend beyond getting people ready for hiring or teaching them skills that make them one-trick ponies. Workers must be taught a wide range of skills so they can move easily from one job to another.

As for drug testing, if you want a job, you have to wean yourself off whatever is making you fail the test. There's no easy way around this.

For those whose friends are using drugs now, point out to them that their activities today may permanently isolate them from the opportunities that are just around the corner.

And then there's the issue of preparing for a wave of migrant workers. Naturally, the local workforce cannot satisfy all the impending construction needs. So don't be surprised if carpetbaggers sweep in from the West Coast and beyond. They'll need housing and possibly schools for their children. They'll contribute to the economy if the infrastructure to accommodate them is in place.

So rather than seeing outsiders as a threat, take advantage of what they have to offer. We can all benefit from this boom if we make it last.