By Alabama Public Radio
Oklahoma City, OK – A new report claims Southern states could have gained 28 billion dollars in sales and more than 379-thousand jobs if they exported products at the same rate as the national average. The report came during Sunday's Southern Growth Policies Board conference in Oklahoma City. It recommends that states train workers to speak excellent English and a foreign language and to understand world geography, history, cultures and geopolitics. To get those skills, the report suggests states change educational curricula, diversify study abroad programs and recruit foreign students. The report was based on 2001 data. Alabama is one of 13 states in the Southern Growth Policies Board.