Funding for job retraining for Americans is 1/2 of what it used to be...
By louisehartmann
As nearly 13 million Americans look for a job – federal funding to retrain Americans workers and prepare them for the jobs of the 21st century are drying up. Funding for job-training programs across the country is down 18% from 2006 – even though there are six million more unemployed Americans today. Funding for counseling for the unemployed – like resume guidance and job interview coaching – is down 13%. In fact – funding for job retraining for Americans is roughly half of what it used to be more than a decade ago.
So now – even though the economy is slightly improving – business are having difficulty finding Americans workers who are trained and qualified to handle the new job. President Obama’s budget proposal called for a massive increase in job retraining programs – increasing funding to nearly $3 billion a year. Studies show this is a good economic investment, as every dollar spent on retraining unemployed Americans for new jobs yields as much as eight dollars for the local community.
However – multi-millionaire Congressman Paul Ryan’s Republican trickle-down austerity budget once again slashes funding for federal job retraining programs. Under their proposal – it’s far more important to give $3 trillion in tax breaks to the super-rich than give working Americans new job skills.
Comments
#2
Eliminating money for job training is consistent with Republican ideology: We should HOME SCHOOL for the new jobs!
See, problem solved.
#3
Hey Thom,
Got a great idea - Give EVERY American Citizen $2,000,000.00 tax free if they have AGI of less than $750,000.00. That is less than $600,000,000.00. Take 1,000,000.00 of the 2 mill and put it in trust for all citizens under 22 years old or let them apply it to college. What the heck, we spend trillions on the poor and disenfranchised....give them all the money, then all are part of the 1%. By the way, washington elected officials get nothing....Talk about spuring an economy!!!!
Jim
#4
As someone who works in this field, the cuts have been difficult to manage, forcing many programs to serve less and cut staff. The Workforce Investment Act hasn't been reauthorized since 2003 - so helping job seekers and employers doesn't seem to be a priority to Congress, even during these hard economic times. Next time you have Senator Sanders on your show, would love to have you bring up what the Senate is doing to stop the Republican dismantling of the federal workforce system. By the way, more money goes back into the economy, when people who use the system, return to work than what we spend - in my area its about $3.50 to one. Please keep this system on your radar and for success stories visit the National Association of Workforce Board website. Thank you
#5
This really scares me! Having been essencially unemployed for 2+ years.
#6
An American news reporter arrogantly asked a N. Korean authority "Is launching a rocket more important than food?" I thought, what damn hypocrites to pose such a question...it may well be true...but it is many times truer of American authorities who squander much more on their war crimes against innocent people while their own population goes without healthcare. What bloody hypocrites!!! Main stream news media is so ridiculous...but I guess many American Zombies nod their heads in agreement with the arrogant twerps holding the microphones.
#7
I was fortunate to earn and receive my B.S. Degree from the Detroit College of Business in 1971 through the G.I. Bill of Rights. I served in the U.S. Army Security Agency in the mid 1960’s and subsequently attended college to further my education. I could not have afforded my college education alone without the benefit of the United States Government. We need to support our American youth to receive free education like the rest of the world's democracies. An educated American work force is the key to the growth with prosperity, and security of our United States of America.
#8
Nationwide Community Colleges have waiting lists to get onto a waiting list to get into a training program while the wealthy are getting tax cuts.
#9
Citizens in Wisconsin's 1st congressional district need to ask themselves why the hell a Democracy hating maniac, 1%er, like Paul Ryan should continue to be employed as their representative.
#10
$600,000,000 / $2,000,000 = 300 people. There are about 300 million Americans that make less than $750,000/yr. You'd have to spend $600,000,000,000,000 (600 trillion dollars) on that program.
#11
The USA already has an (overutilized) jobs program - the military congressional industrial energy complex. It is over capitialized, poorly operated, with virtually no public controls that produces products the populace (it obstensively protects) neither needs, wants, nor desires.
The actual workers in the complex, just those in the "real" economy" have no job security and are considered fluid assets to the upper echelons of corporate "governance".
It is dangerous to have opinions contrary to the Limbaugh-Savage-ALEC that echo in the halls and even more dangerous carreer-wise (usually fatel) to broach any disscent.
In OK it is as manditory now to be a "Real republican" as it was to belong to the communist party in soviet russia - you can be a democrat but you will only have a job as long as you don't contradict corporate "Conservative" dogma. Interesting how that freedom of speach works in an "at-will" state.
Lemmings running towards a clift.
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Job training is important, but expanding the job pools is imperative. A jobless recovery isn't a recovery, its a bubble waiting to burst.
N