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MARQUETTE -- Beginning in 2010, an estimated 77,000,000 jobs will be vacated nationwide by retiring baby boomers.  On the other end of the age spectrum, just 44,000,000 emerging youth will be entering the workforce.

There's no substitution for experience, but according to some at the U.P Education Summit in Marquette, earlier specialized training may help prepare the future workforce.

"There are open jobs in Michigan.  There's a lot of them.  But what we're running into is we don't have the qualified, trained workers to fill those jobs.  So there's a lag in the time that we're training these job seekers for the new 21st century jobs that are open today," said Joe Esbrook of Michigan Works.

Their suggestion?  Start training a workforce at a younger age.  By projecting what industries will have job openings several years from now, high schools can offer the classes that students will need to one day fill the employment voids.

"As educators, it's our responsibility to ensure that when our students leave our building, they are either ready to enter higher education or that they're ready to enter the workforce," said Steve Peffers, Superintendent of MARESA.

American Eagle Airlines at Sawyer International has had a longstanding relationship with Northern Michigan University to train their future mechanics.  But if that training can start in area high schools, then the workforce will be even better prepared.

"I say get the basics, you know, your math and your science.  But then you also have to get mechanical skills.  Even an automotive mechanics course in high school will better prepare you for aviation," said Steve Rodgers, Director of Base and Contract Maintenance for American Eagle Airlines, Inc.

With 77,000,000 set to retire, this early training may prove beneficial for the future of America's labor force.