To compete in business in the 21st century means we need to have better educated kids.

Dr. Craig Barrett, retired CEO of Intel Corporation and keynote speaker of the 2013 Oregon Business Conference says we need to take a look at how other countries put an emphasis on quality education.

"The Asian philosophy and the Eastern European philosophy very strongly is quality education is what is important. And the United States has to get on the bandwagon here. It's what you know is what will make you successful in the 21st century; it's not who you know, and if you don't have a quality education, you're going to not do well and your standard of living is going to suffer."

Barrett says as a country, we used to be number one in percentage of the workforce with a post secondary education in the world; and now we're number 14.  And to compare: more people over the age of 55 have post secondary degrees than those in the 25-35 age category.

Other speakers at the conference include Keith Rivera with Rivera Wealth Management and Chairman of the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF); Dr. Knute Buehler, former candidate for Secretary of State, Dr. Bill Watkins from California Lutheran University and Executive Director of CERF and Katherine Klingensmith, Executive Director and Economic & Policy Strategist with UBS Wealth Management Group.

The 2012 Oregon Business Conference is at the Oxford Hotel this morning.