Most of the time we just look to the US and Western Europe for our economic indicators and let's face it they are bleak. However, for some interesting international comparisons, worries from across the globe have been neatly summarised in The Washington Post.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and Skills Secretary John Denham have today announced their Departments will conduct a review of productivity and skills in the engineering construction sector.

This is undoubtedly a response to the wildcat strikes from earlier this month.

Education ministers meet in Brussels today to discuss targets and aims for education and training in the EU. Brussels based European Voice reports that some Member States are not keen to be too ambitious - particulalry with unemployment rising and budgets tightening:

"Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, the education ministers will stress the need for more investment in human capital and will underline the role of better education to aid the economic recovery in Europe. They will call for a focus on upgrading the skills of the workforce to make a smoother transition to a knowledge-based economy."

Manufacturing agrees the role of education is vital - a well-skilled workforce is vital to comeptitiveness - and hopes that these talks will not just consider Higher and Further Education as highlighted in the article but also that apprenticeships and workplace upskilling is just as important, now and for the upturn.

We look forward to the conclusions of the education minister's discussions. Some further education on what manufacturing needs might be in order.

Across the pond, the New York Times reports President Obama is looking for support from technology and energy companies for his economic recovery bill.

"What oil was to President Bush, some say, clean energy and technology are to the Obama White House"

Can we expect the same from UK government? With increasing discussion on the rebalancing of the economy and the importance of manufacturing, we can hope and expect increased recognition, representation and to reshape policy. Will the UK government just be looking to clean energy and technology? Not just to these areas of industry, but being clean and green will certainly be an opportunity for many businesses to look at, and hopefully for the whole of industry to be at the heart of the government and the heart of a rebalanced economy.