It is an interesting paradox of American culture that we strive to make available a quality education to all those who desire it while simultaneously celebrating those Americans who find fortune through nothing more than their own smarts, work ethic and ingenuity. No one ever claimed that a bachelor’s degree was a prerequisite to achieving the American Dream. And it is true that in most industries, you’ll notice a wide range of educational backgrounds that do not necessarily correlate with status or success.

Nationwide, according to 2000 U.S. Census figures, 80% of Americans age 25 and older are high school graduates, but just 24% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. While education levels in America are certainly on the rise, there are still plenty of stories about millionaire entrepreneurs, investment bankers, and software engineers with nothing but a high school diploma to make some question the wisdom of staying in school if they are lucky enough to land a stable job and a good income. Returning to school (especially in a bad economy) seems like even a riskier proposition for those already in the workforce. Will an advanced degree or additional training really generate an adequate return on investment to make it worth one’s while? And even if one can go back to school and keep their full-time job, will it ultimately be worth the time, stress, and money? 

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Members not attending IWCA’s Trade Show January 28-29 in Reno, Nevada, missed out on seeing a lot of new innovative products making their debut there. And vendors not displaying this year missed seeing some new faces and regular customers as well. In both cases, complaints were aired by some suppliers and manufacturers.  Exhibiting in the colossal Reno Events Center was perfect for the aerial lift exhibitors, but so spacious that many of the booths were spread far apart making attendance appear sparse even when there was a crowd. Even so, overall convention attendance was not down dramatically from the previous year, according to management team, The Robstan Group.  There were 454 total attendees for the 2010 convention, while the 2009 convention had 472 attendees, As for exhibitors in Reno, 30 vendors were represented. In 2009, there were 38 at the show.  Regarding floor traffic, some vendors at this year’s show complained that seminars were going on at times simultaneous with the trade show.  To the chagrin of still others, several suppliers were promoting their companies in and outside of the Events Center, a clear violation of IWCA rules.  All that being said, the event offered plenty to see....

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