The U.S. Federal government has funded a number of worthwhile job creation programs for disadvantaged and unemployed youth. One of these is the Job Corps program which is the nation’s largest residential training and employment program. Job Corps serves about 50,000 young people annually, providing a largely disadvantaged group of 16- to 24-year-olds with training and work experience. Indeed, it was reported in 2015 that more than 80 percent of Job Corps graduates found a job, went on to college, or entered the military. 71 percent received an industry-recognized credential before graduation. However, under the Congressional Budget for the Employment and Training Administration, Trump has proposed a 14 percent cut from its $1.7 billion current budget.
Yes, Trump’s recent executive order would redirect over $100 million of federal job training money to pay for the new apprenticeships, supplementing $90 million in funding for the existing program. However, the transfer of funds would be done at the expense of other employment programs like Job Corps and those aimed at seniors and veterans. As in the case of the Republican health care bill, many of these same individuals would be detrimentally affected by proposed changes to existing programs. Without such programs as Job Corps, many of these young people would end up in poverty, incarcerated, back on the street and on social assistance.
Trump talks a lot about putting Americans back to work, but budget cuts appear to be telling a different story. As in Canada, American apprenticeship programs are largely controlled by state agencies, unions and educational institutions. They are fine as far as they go, but most often require certain educational qualifications such as a high school or college diploma. Most disadvantaged youth have not graduated from high school and would not meet the basic prerequisites. Some may even have criminal records as juveniles or adolescents. In a country as large and wealthy as the U.S., you’d think that a couple of billion dollars in support of helping disadvantaged youth enter the labour market would be a good thing. Apparently, the Trump administration doesn’t think so. So much for walking the talk!
FROLITICKS 