Thursday, September 24, 2009

Thursday's Thoughts

"Teens lack jobs despite job effort"

The Workforce Investment Act summer program was designed to train youth ages 14-24 with the skills they need to enter the workforce. Unfortunately in several states, including California, this program didn't reach the group of people in was intended for. With the state of the economy, many adults turned to this opportunity to brush up on their skills and take advantage of the job opportunities that were available to them. This would have been a great opportunity for many of our teens to learn new skills, but it's difficult when they don't know what is available to them.

1 comment:

Bobbie Stacey said...

If the WIA summer youth program in LA operated the same as it did in my little Michigan neck of the woods, then the biggest winners were the contract staff hired to supervise the youth programs at around $15 per hour with benefits. These supervisors would've earned enough of a wage during the quarter to qualify for unemployment. In Michigan, unemployment benefits can get extended up to 125 weeks with state and federal extensions. Unfortunately for the contractor companies who hired the supervisors, their unemployment tax rates will take a huge hit - ironically perhaps enough to drive them out of business.

The youth who really needed the job skills experience though were left out in the cold.