Rahm Emanuel on the new Administration's top priorities - including education/training

From the Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Forum: Rahm Emanuel on the Opportunities of Crisis

The five priorities for reform are:
• health care
• energy
• taxes
• education
• financial regulation

Note carefully what he says about education at about the 2 minute mark: there needs to be "fundamental reform to ensure that we are effectively training the workforce."

I agree, and have long called for a real switch to a life-long learning model. We can not ensure our economic competitiveness and property unless fundamentally reform education and train. Of the five areas, however, this may be President Obama's hardest task, since most of the reform has to happen at the state and local level. The President will need all of his leadership skills to get those levels of government to make the necessary changes. On the other hand, this could be a wonderful example of fostering experimentation and learning, as the Federal government provides incentives to state and local government to change the learning system.

You can also listen to the entire

Emanuel comments to the Wall Street Journal CEO Council.