Is Lean, a healthy strategy for long term business performance?

Don't you love the Lean revolution? Has it not saved businesses, increased efficiencies,driven change, made businesses more competitive, increased profit levels? The Lean Revolution was created to help businesses cut their "fat" or waste of their operations. However, have some companies gone too far? In the quest for cost savings, companies have disbanded their formal apprenticeship programs, have not allowed internships, work their current aging workforce 60 to 70 hours per week while many do not provide time for training. Many companies have cut back so much that many of the workers complain that corporate muscle and arteries are being removed in the cost-cutting craze to be lean. Is that true? Does Lean mean not building a bench? Only relying on your current workforce? Does it mean not to build relationships with area community colleges, and vocational training centers? As a whole generation of moving to retirement age, yet many still can make vital contribution, are companies investing enough in developing new and potential talent? Would love to hear your thoughts on this issue of what is LEAN and what is healthy of business growth? Also tune into future blog posts where we share the activities in Greensboro, NC where a metals instructor at a vocational school develops a summer youth program. Hope you add to the discussion and share with us groups you like us to spotlight.