Help Wanted: Retraining America

>> Announcer: THIS IS "NEED TO KNOW" WITH MARIA HINOJOSA, SCOTT SIMON, RAY SUAREZ AND THIS WEE JEFF GREENFIELD.

>> ON THIS EDITION, AMERICAN INDUSTRY SAYS WE NEE BETTER-TRAINED WORKERS IN SEATTLE, THE JOB SEEKERS KNOW THAT FIRST HAND.

>> I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE SKILLS, YO KNOW I NEEDED SOME TYPE O CERTIFICATION.

AND SO I SAID IT'S TIME FOR ME TO EMPOWER MYSELF.

YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL >> IT'S GOING TO TAKE A DOSE O ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL AND GENERAL EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL FO AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE READY FO THAT FIRST GOOD JOB.

>> AND THE SECRETARY OF LABO EXPLAINS THE CHALLENGES.

>> TECHNOLOGY MATTERS MORE AND MORE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL.

AND EMPLOYERS ENTERING INT PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OTHER TRAININ INSTITUTIONS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR SUCCESS THAT WILL HELP TO BRING JOBS BACK TO THE U.S. >> NEXT ON "NEED TO KNOW."

>> WELCOME TO "NEED TO KNOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS RELEASED IT LATEST JOBS REPORT AND UNEMPLOYMENT FELL LAST MONTH HERE'S HOW MANY NEW JOBS IT SAYS WERE CREATED IN APRIL.

THE LABOR DEPARTMENT ALS REVISED UPWARD ITS ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF NEW JOBS CREATED THE PREVIOUS MONTH BUT THESE NUMBERS REALLY DON'T SPEAK TO THE DILEMMA THAT'S BEEN HAUNTING THE AMERICAN ECONOM FOR YEARS, LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT ROUGHLY 4.5 MILLION AMERICAN HAVE BEEN WITHOUT WORK FOR MOR THAN SIX MONTHS.

AND RECENT RESEARCH POINTS TO VICIOUS CYCLE HERE, NOT HAVING A JOB MAKES IT HARDER TO GET ONE IN PART BECAUSE EMPLOYERS AR WARY ABOUT HIRING SOMEONE WHO' BEEN OUT OF WORK THAT LONG SO HOW CAN WE GET THEM BACK TO WORK ONE ANSWER IS BETTER TRAINING.

RICK KARR RECENTLY VISITED SEATTLE TO LOOK AT A PROGRAM THAT'S DESIGNED TO GIVE TH UNEMPLOYED THE SKILLS THEY NEE TO FIND JOBS IN ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FASTEST-GROWIN INDUSTRIES >> THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE BEE TOUGH FOR NADIYA OLUSOLA HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY, SO SH MOVED FROM HER NATIVE DETROIT TO SEATTLE TO START FRESH, AND FIND WORK SHE HAD EXPERIENCE RUNNING A INNER-CITY ANTI-VIOLENCE NONPROFIT THAT SHE AND HER LAT HUSBAND HAD FOUNDED.

SHE HAD TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE CREDIT AND EXPERIENCE AS A HEALTH-CARE AIDE SHE HEADED OUT EARLY IN TH MORNING TO WAIT IN LINES T APPLY FOR ONE OPPORTUNITY AFTE ANOTHER.

BUT SHE ALWAYS CAME AWAY DISAPPOINTED AND IT STARTED TO DAWN ON HER THAT FINDING A JOB WAS GOING TO BE A LOT HARDER THAN SHE'D IMAGINED.

>> I WAS -- I BEGAN TO FEE ALMOST FELT DEVASTATED AND I WOULD JUST SIT THERE YOU KNOW, IT'S 5:30 IN THE MORNING.

AND I WOULD JUST PRAY FOR A JOB, YOU KNOW, PRAY FOR A OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT, JUST T HAVE SOME RESOURCES FOR THAT DAY.

>> SHE ENDED UP HOMELESS AND FINALLY LANDED ON A FRIEND'S SOFA, GETTING FROM PLACE T PLACE ON CUT-RATE BUS TICKET FOR THE POOR AND LIVING OFF OF FOOD ASSISTANCE.

AND SHE STILL COULDN'T FIND JOB.

>> AND I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE SKILLS, YO KNOW I NEEDED -- SOME TYPE OF CERTIFICATION.

I SAID IT'S TIME FOR ME TO EMPOWER MYSELF YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME FOR ME TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL >> SO OLUSOLA HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL -- WHICH IS EXACTLY WHA THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S BEE ENCOURAGING UNEMPLOYED WORKERS LIKE HER TO DO FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

>> WE ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE EDUCATING AND PREPARIN OUR PEOPLE FOR THE NEW JOBS OF THE 21st CENTURY WE'VE GOT TO PREPARE OUR PEOPL WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO COMPETE IN THIS GLOBAL ECONOMY >> THE MORE EDUCATION AMERICAN HAVE, THE LESS LIKELY THEY ARE TO BECOME JOBLESS AND THE MORE MONEY THEY'RE LIKELY TO EARN IN OTHER WORDS, IN TODAY'S WORKPLACE, ONLY THE SMAR SURVIVE AND THRIVE >> WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE DIGGIN DITCHES WITH SHOVELS ANYMORE WE HAVE PEOPLE OPERATING EQUIPMENT.

AND THAT REQUIRES A CERTAI AMOUNT OF SKILL.

INCREASINGLY HIGHER LEVELS O SKILL.

SO WE HAVE MID-SKILL JOBS AN HIGHER SKILL JOBS, BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE UNSKILLED JOBS IN THIS ECONOMY ANY LONGER.

>> BRIAN BOSWORTH HAS BEEN STUDYING THE JOB MARKET FO DECADES AS A CONSULTANT AND AS A STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICIAL HE SAYS THERE'S A NAME FOR THE SKILLS THAT AMERICANS LIKE NADIYA OLUSOLA NEED IN ORDER T GET GOOD JOBS.

IT'S "STEM" -- FOR SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH AN EDUCATION BUZZWORD FRO THE COUNTRY'S ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS TO ITS MAJO UNIVERSITIES >> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TH KINDS OF EDUCATIONS THAT AMERICANS ARE GOING TO NEED TO GET JOBS IN THE 21st CENTURY YOU PROBABLY THINK ABOUT ADVANCE DEGREES LIKE YOU CAN GET HERE ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY O WASHINGTON, BACHELOR'S I ENGINEERING, A MASTER'S IN COMPUTER SCIENCE BUT MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS DEGREE LIKE THAT MAYBE, FOR SOME PEOPLE PRACTICAL TRAINING IS MORE IMPORTANT.

>> WE ALL LIVE AND WORK IN A COMPLEX ERA.

WE'RE USING SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT IN NEW WAYS THAT WEREN'T FEASIBLE O NECESSARY JUST FIVE, TEN YEARS AGO.

SO I THINK THE ISSUE OF STEM EDUCATION IS NOT SIMPL PREPARING PEOPLE FOR NARROWL DEFINED PURE STEM JOBS LIK ENGINEERS AND COMPUTER SCIENTISTS, BUT PROVIDING PLATFORM OF STEM KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS THAT ARE NEEDED IN VIRTUALLY EVERY JOB.

>> IN THE FACTORIES -- >> BACK IN THE 20th CENTURY, MANUFACTURING WORKERS DIDN'T NEED MUCH MORE THAN HIGH SCHOO DIPLOMAS >> GIVING LOCAL EMPLOYMENT I EVERY GREAT AREA OF THE NATION >> BUT NOT TODAY >> IT'S GOING TO TAKE A DOSE O ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL AND GENERAL EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL FO AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE READY FO THAT FIRST GOOD JOB.

THE JOB THAT'S GONNA LEAD THEM INTO A CAREER.

>> BUT WE USED TO DO THAT.

WE USED TO HAVE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.

>> WE HAD A DIFFERENT KIND O ECONOMY IN THOSE DAYS.

THE EMPLOYMENT MARKETPLACE I DIFFERENT.

PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW MORE AND B ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WAS THE CASE 20 YEARS AGO, PERHAPS EVE 10 YEARS AGO >> TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF ONE O THE FASTEST-GROWING INDUSTRIES IN WASHINGTON STATE -- JANICKI INDUSTRIES SPECIALIZES I COMPOSITES -- MIXTURES O PLASTIC AND HIGH-TECH CARBON FIBERS THE MATERIALS USED TO BUIL AIRPLANE FUSELAGES, HELICOPTER ROTORS AND WIND TURBINES IT'S ALSO SHOWING UP IN CARS AND SPORTING GOODS >> SUPER LIGHT AND SUPER STRON CARBON FIBERS SET NEW STANDARD IN RANGE AND SAFETY.

>> COMPOSITES ARE AS STRONG AS STEEL BUT WEIGH ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER AS MUCH -- WHICH MEANS THEY CAN MAKE VEHICLES MUC LIGHTER AND MORE FUEL EFFICIENT.

IN THE AGE OF $3.50 A GALLON GAS, THE COMPOSITES BUSINESS I BOOMING.

JOHN JANICKI SAYS THE 21st CENTURY FACTORY EMPHASIZES PRECISION AND RELIES ON LASERS COMPUTERS, AND HIGH-TECH TOOLS SO IT DEMANDS MORE OF THOS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH SKILLS.

>> SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND GEOMETRY, AND YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO REA DRAWINGS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF CHEMISTRY AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND 'E AT ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA USE SOMETHING OR MIX SOMETHING THAT'S JUST WRONG, AND YOU CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS >> HOW HARD IS IT TO FIN WORKERS WHO HAVE THAT SKILL SET?

I MEAN, IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS LIKE THAT?

>> THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF THE PERFECT WORKER THERE'S ALWAYS A SHORTAGE OF THE PERFECT WORKER THE FIRST THING YOU START OUT IS WITH ATTITUDE.

YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE A WOR ETHIC ATTITUDE AND THEN THE DESIRE TO LEARN TO WANT TO DO BETTER, AND LEAR THIS JOB AND THIS ROLE >> JANICKI INDUSTRIES ALWAYS HAS JOB OPENINGS -- AS MANY AS 15 AT A TIME THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPOSITES FIRMS IN THE STATE O WASHINGTON -- ALL OF THE COMPETING IN A BUSINESS THAT GREW BY 10% LAST YEAR -- IN PART BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FROM ONE GIANT SEATTLE FIRM -- BOEING >> WE ACTUALLY HAD PARTNERS FROM BOEING, THE BOEING COMPANY, COME TO OUR COLLEGE AND SAY, "WE WANT YOU TO CREATE A COMPOSIT TECHNICIAN PROGRAM."

>> WENDY PRICE IS DEAN O WORKFORCE EDUCATION AT SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

EARLY LAST YEAR, THE SCHOO LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM THAT BOEING ASKED FOR.

NADIYA OLUSOLA SIGNED UP RIGHT AFTER SHE ATTENDED AN OPEN HOUSE ON CAMPUS.

>> DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMPOSITES AT ALL BEFORE THA NIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF TH WORD "COMPOSITES," YOU KNOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE BEING HERE, I SEE THE OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'S OVER 200 COMPANIES I THE STATE OF WASHINGTON THAT WORK WITH COMPOSITES >> THE COURSE TEACHES OLUSOL AND OTHER STUDENTS THE BASICS OF WORKING WITH COMPOSITES IN A INDUSTRIAL LAB - >> B DOWN HERE IN THE CORNER HAS A SPECIAL NAME ANYBODY REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED >> AND IN THE CLASSROOM.

THEY GO THROUGH MOCK JOB INTERVIEWS AND LEARN THE BASIC OF GOOD CONDUCT ON THE FACTORY FLOOR -- STUDENTS HAVE TO PUNC IN AND OUT EVERY DAY, JUST LIK EMPLOYEES OF REAL COMPOSITES COMPANIES.

THE STUDENTS' AVERAGE AGE IS 39, AND MOST HAVE EITHER LOST JOBS OR RECENTLY RETURNED FRO MILITARY SERVICE >> SO THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO'VE REALLY, SORT OF, SUFFERED TH WORST IN THE RECESSION OVER TH PAST FEW YEARS >> RIGHT THEY NEED TO -- THEY NEED TO RESKILL TO COMPETE IN TODAY' MARKET >> THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM PRICE SAYS, IS TO GET STUDENTS TO FILL THE COMPOSITES INDUSTRY'S DEMAND FOR WORKERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE -- TO MOLD THEM INTO THE "IDEAL WORKERS THAT MANAGERS LIKE JOHN JANICK ARE LOOKING FOR.

AND PRICE SAYS THE FACT THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS ARE OLDER IS A FEATURE, NOT A BUG.

>> PEOPLE THAT ARE 39 ARE VERY FOCUSED ON WHY THEY'RE THERE AND THEY'RE DETERMINED TO GE OUT TO WORK THEY NEED TO THEY UNDERSTAND THEY NEED TO FEED THEIR FAMILY.

THEY UNDERSTAND THEY NEED THEY NEED TO BUILD THEIR CAREER THEY HAVE THE MATURITY TO KNOW WHY THEIR SPENDING THEIR TIM AND SACRIFICING OTHER THINGS I THEIR LIFE TO SPEND TIME I SCHOOL >> ALMOST ALL OF THE STUDENTS' TUITION IS COVERED BY THE STAT AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.

NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS OF GRADUATES END UP WITH JOBS I THE COMPOSITES INDUSTRY.

ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM FOR UNEMPLOYED STUDENTS LIKE NADIY OLUSOLA IS THAT FROM START T FINISH, IT PACKS THE EQUIVALEN OF A ONE-YEAR ACCREDITED PROGRAM INTO JUST SIX MONTHS >> YOU COULD'VE GONE FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS AND HAD YOURSELF A BACHELORS DEGREE IF YOU WANTED SO WHY'D YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS PROGRAM AND NOT ANOTHER TW YEARS TO GET A BACHELORS DEGREE?

>> WELL, MAINLY BECAUSE OF M PERSONAL SITUATION I HAVE NO MONTHLY INCOME RIGHT NOW.

I'M OUTTA BUS TICKETS.

I'VE BEEN CALLIN' VARIOU ORGANIZATIONS TO SEE ABOUT, YO KNOW, HOW DO I GET BACK AN FORTH TO SCHOOL NOW?

I RAN OUT OF ALL MY RESOURCES.

BUT I'M DETERMINED BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PULL ME OUT OF THIS SITUATION.

>> THE SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM ISN'T QUITE DEGREE -- IT'S KNOWN AS "CERTIFICATE" -- AND PROGRAM MUCH BIGGER ROLE IN EDUCATIN THE WORKFORCE OF THE 21s CENTURY AND GETTING THEM TO FILL THE 70,000 JOB VACANCIES I WASHINGTON STATE >> THE ECONOMIC RETURNS TO CERTIFICATES ARE VERY SOLID.

IT'S AN UNDER-UTILIZED CREDENTIAL AND AN UNDER-UTILIZED SET OF CURRICULUM TO PRODUCE THE KIND OF WORKERS WE NEED IN TODAY'S ECONOMY.

>> BOSWORTH BELIEVES THE COMPOSITES CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AT SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS A MODEL FOR THE KIN OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TH COUNTRY NEEDS.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AGREES IT GRANTED NEARLY $20 MILLION TO HELP TH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND NINE OTHERS BUILD THE NATIONAL STEM CONSORTIUM THE SCHOOLS DEVELOP CURRICUL FOCUSSED ON FIELDS THAT AR RELEVANT TO THEIR LOCAL LABO MARKETS -- IN COMPOSITES, CYBE TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AND ROBOTICS AND HIGH-TECH MACHINERY.

THE PROGRAMS ARE LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD, SO IT'S TOO EARLY T TELL JUST HOW SUCCESSFUL THE ARE, BUT OTHER COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE STUDYING THE MODEL.

BRIAN BOSWORTH ADVISES THE CONSORTIUM HE SAYS ITS REAL INNOVATION IS MAKING THOSE CURRICULUM PLAN AVAILABLE ONLINE TO ANY OTHE SCHOOLS THAT WANT TO USE THE FOR FREE >> IT'S ALL OPEN SOURCE.

THAT'S THE IDEA.

THAT ANY COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANYWHERE CAN LOOK ON THE PLATFORM, SEE THAT THIS SET OF COURSES, THE WHOLE PROGRAM, HA ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED, AND THEN PULL THAT INTO THEIR OWN COURS CATALOG, IF YOU WILL AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO REBUILD IT THEMSELVES.

AND THEY KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN VETTED BY SOME OF THE BEST EMPLOYERS IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT THE CURRICULU MATERIALS THAT SUPPORT I REPRESENT SOME OF THE CURREN BEST PRACTICE IN THE INDUSTRY.

>> PEOPLE USED TO LEARN THE HARD SKILLS A LOT ON JOBS, THOUGH >> RIGHT >> THERE ON THE SHOP FLOOR WHY AREN'T EMPLOYERS DOING THA NOW?

I MEAN IF YOU HAVE THESE COMPOSITE COMPANIES IN THI AREA, WHY AREN'T THEY TRAINING THE WORKERS THEMSELVES >> WELL, THEY'RE SHORT SIGHTED FOR ONE THING.

THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED O QUARTERLY EARNINGS THEY'RE VERY FOCUSED ON KEEPIN COSTS DOWN AND EMPLOYERS ARE SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELO STRONGER TECHNICAL SKILLS IN THE WORKPLACE.

>> I THINK BACK 50 YEARS AGO, MY GRANDFATHER WORKING IN A STEEL MILL OUTSIDE OF CHICAGO, THE TRAINED HIM.

>> RIGHT >> THEY HAD AN APPRENTICESHI PROGRAM.

THE EMPLOYER TRAINED THEM.

>> SURE.

>> WHY SHOULDN'T YOU BE TRAINING THE WORKERS -- >> WELL WE TRAIN THIS IS JUST A START THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE PU INTO TRAINING IS IMMENSE I BET YOU WE SPEND $200 OR $300,000 BY THE TIME WE GET REAL PRODUCTIVITY OUT OF THEM IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT O TRAINING AND SO THE ONLY THE THING THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOES FOR US IS IF PEOPLE FINISH, THEY HAVE A DESIRE TO BE IN COMPOSITES, OR INTO SOME KIND OF MANUFACTURING.

>> SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SCREENING PROCESS.

>> IT'S A SCREENING PROCESS.

>> STUDENT NADIYA OLUSOLA WILL FINISH THE COMPOSITES PROGRAM AT SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEG IN JUNE -- AND SHE SAYS SHE ALREADY FEELS LIKE SHE'LL BE PREPARED FOR JOB LIKE THE ONES ON OFFER A JOHN JANICKI'S COMPANY >> I'LL BE READY NOT ONLY DO I HAVE THE VISION TO GET A JOB, I'VE GOT THE SKILLS AND, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT I NEED AND SO I'M GONNA CLAIM A JOB S THAT I CAN BE WORKIN' AND GE OUTTA THIS HOMELESSNES SITUATION AND BE ABLE TO, YO KNOW, GET SOME AFFORDABL TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, STAR OVER AGAIN, YOU KNOW THEY SAID YEAH, WHERE THERE'S WILL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WAY.

>> JOINING US NOW IS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S MAN CHARGED WITH, AMONG OTHER THINGS WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ACTING SECRETARY SETH HARRIS IS I WASHINGTON, D.C.

WELCOME, MR. SECRETARY >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEFF >> SO YOUR OFFICE IS JUS ALLOCATED CLOSE TO HALF BILLION DOLLARS TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO HELP ENCOURAGE THI KIND OF TRAINING THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT KIND OF EDUCATION OUR FUTURE WORKERS ARE GETTING IN THEIR NORMAL PUBLIC OR PRIVATE EDUCATION, IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS, FOR INSTANCE >> WELL, THE GRADUATES O AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS, MANY OF THEM ARE PREPARING TO GO T COLLEGE.

SOME OF THEM ARE PREPARING TO GO DIRECTLY INTO THE WORK FORCE IN THE STATE OF THE UNIO ADDRESS, THE PRESIDENT SAID WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND ASSURING THAT GRADUATES HAVE THE TECHNICAL SKILL THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED IN THE LABOR MARKET BUT IT'S NOT A SURPRISE THAT WORKERS WHO COME OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR EVEN COME OUT OF SOM KIND OF ADVANCED EDUCATION NEE SKILLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO SUCCEED IN A LABOR MARKET THAT'S EVER CHANGING, THAT'S BEIN TRANSFORMED BY TECHNOLOGY, B GLOBALIZATION.

SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SEE THIS INVESTMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES AS A SIGN OF FAILURE WHAT WE SHOULD SEE IT AS IS AN SYSTEM, MAKE SURE IT'S SENSITIVE TO LABOR MARKET NEEDS, AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE WORKERS HAVE TH SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN MID-CLASS JOBS AND ATTRACT JOB TO THE UNITED STATES >> GIVEN WHAT'S IN THE NEW RIGHT NOW, IS SEQUESTRATION IN ANY WAY GOING TO IMPINGE ON THIS EFFORT >> IT WILL BE HAS.

THE BLOCK OF MONEY THAT TH LABOR DEPARTMENT JUST MADE AVAILABLE FOR APPLICATIONS WAS $26 MILLION LESS THAN TH AMOUNTS WE MADE AVAILABLE OVER EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS CONGRESS ALLOCATED $2 BILLION TO THIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE EFFORT AT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S URGING WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO RELEASE $474 MILLION THIS YEAR SEEMS LIKE A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S 5% BELOW WHAT WE HAD EXPECTED TO BE ABLE T GIVE OUT SO THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE SOME SETS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE AROUND THE UNITED STATES THA WILL NOT GET THE MONEY THEY NEED TO ENTER INTO PARTNERSHIPS WIT EMPLOYERS AND WITH EMPLOYE ASSOCIATIONS AND LOCAL UNIONS TO CREATE JOB TRAININ OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS THAT WILL GET THEM QUICKLY INTO NEW JOBS >> IN AN EARLIER TIME, I WOULD ASSUME THAT EITHER THE LABOR UNIONS OR THE EMPLOYER THEMSELVES THROUGH APPRENTIC PROGRAMS OR TRAINING PROGRAM WOULD BE THE FORCES THAT TRAIN THESE WORKERS FOR EXACTLY TH SKILLS THAT ARE NEEDED WHY ARE WE TURNING TO COMMUNIT COLLEGES NOW DOES THAT TELL US SOMETHIN ABOUT HOW LABOR UNIONS AND EMPLOYERS HAVE CHANGED >> WELL, I THINK WHERE YOU HAV PRIVATE SECTOR UNIONS, YOU OFTEN SEE JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WHERE WORKERS GET THE TRAINING THEY NEED, INCLUDING ON THE JOB TRAINING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE INTO PREDICTABLE, RELIABLE, MIDDLE-CLASS JOBS.

I THINK THE DECLINE OF THE UNION DENSITY IN THE UNITED STATES THE DECLINE OF WORKERS REPRESENTED BY UNIONS IS HAVIN AN EFFECT IN SOME PLACES I THINK WE'RE SEEING A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT ARE CAUSING COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS TO PLAY LARGER ROLE IN JOB TRAINING.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN TRUE THAT PUBLIC INSTITUTION HAVE HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY FO TRAINING WORKERS IN BASI SKILLS NO EMPLOYER IS GOING TO TRAI WORKERS IN A SKILL THAT TH WORKER CAN CARRY DOWN THE STREET AND OFFER TO A COMPETITOR TO THAT EMPLOYER.

SO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC FOUR-YEAR AND TWO-YEAR COLLEGE HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED THA IMPORTANT ROLE, BUT NOW WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WITH THE ADVEN OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY, VERY SOPHISTICATED JOBS THAT AR COMING TO THE UNITED STATES IN ADVANCE MANUFACTURING AND BI SCIENCES AND HEALTH CARE AND OTHER INDUSTRIES WHERE THE SKILLS ARE VERY, VER SOPHISTICATED SKILLS THA REQUIRE THE KIND OF HIGH COMPETENCIES THAT COMMUNIT COLLEGES CAN OFFER IN TRAINING IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE FOR THOSE INSTITUTIONS TO PLAY THE ROLE IN GETTING PEOPLE READY AND BASIC PNEUMONIA A SI AND LITERACY SKILLS COMBINED WIT OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS THAT WIL ALLOW THEM TO SUCCEED.

LET ME JUST SAY, WE SHOULDN' LET EMPLOYERS OFF THE HOOK EMPLOYERS HAVE TO PLAY A VER SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND HIRIN GRADUATES AND PROVIDIN EQUIPMENT THAT WORKERS CAN TRAIN ON IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES THEY NEED TO PLAY A SIGNIFICAN ROLE, AND THEY NEED TO TRAIN WORKERS ONCE THEY ARRIVE IN TH SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO HAVE TO SUCCEED IN THAT PARTICULAR WORKPLACE SO LET'S NOT LET EMPLOYERS OFF THE HOOK >> IN TERMS OF THE LOSS OF JOB OVERSEAS, HOW MUCH WILL THIS KIND OF TRAINING IN WHAT ARE CALLED STEM SKILLS, AS WE HEAR IN THE PIECE, HOW MUCH OF TH KIND OF TRAINING IF IT WORKS I GOING TO BRING JOBS BACK HERE?

HOW MUCH OF IT IS A BIGGER FACTOR OF GLOBALIZATION?

>> GLOBALIZATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR, BUT I THIN IT'S TRENDING BACK TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES.

I VIEW SKILLS AS THE LEADING EDGE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITE STATES WHEN I TALK TO EMPLOYERS, WHAT THEY TELL ME THEY ARE LOOKIN FOR IS A SKILLS PIPELINE A SKILLS INFRASTRUCTURE IN A COMMUNITY THAT CAN ASSURE THEM A READY AND PREDICTABLE LONG-TER SUPPLY OF SKILLED WORKERS WH CAN DO THE WORK THAT THE EMPLOYER NEEDS TO GET DONE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY FACTOR ENERGY COSTS ARE IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION COSTS ARE IMPORTANT.

THE ABILITY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA IS VER IMPORTANT.

SKILLS ARE -- IN A GLOBALIZE WORLD WHERE TECHNOLOGY MATTERS MORE AND MORE IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, IN INNOVATION, IN BIO SCIENCES, IN HEALTH CARE, IN OTHER INDUSTRIES WE SEE GROWIN IN HAD THE UNITED STATES, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL EMPLOYERS ENTERING INT PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNIT COLLEGES AND OTHER TRAININ INSTITUTIONS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO OUR SUCCESS THAT WILL HELP TO BRING JOBS BACK TO THE U.S. >> ALL RIGHT GOT TO LEAVE IT THERE.

SETH HARRIS, ACTING SECRETARY OF LABOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING U THIS EVENING >> THANK YOU, JEFF >> THIS WEEK ONLINE, TAKE PART IN OUR WEEKLY POLL THE TOPIC -- FINDING JOBS AN SEE WHAT JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM YOUR STATE HAS TO OFFER.

VISIT PBS.ORG/NEEDTOKNOW FINALLY, AMERICAN VOICES OUR FOCUS THIS WEEK -- PREVENTING DISCRIMINATIO AGAINST THE LONG-TER UNEMPLOYED HERE IS GEORGE WENTWORTH OF TH NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAW PROJECT.

>> I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE IN THE 1970s DURING A RECESSION NOT UNLIKE THE ONE WE'VE BEE EXPERIENCING FOR THE PAST FE YEARS.

MY FIRST JOB OUT OF COLLEGE WA WORKING IN MY HOMETOWN UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN SOME RESPECTS, IT WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE I KNE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WAS PAYING UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS TO.

AND ONE OF THEM, I REMEMBER, WAS MY GODFATHER, FRANK, WHO HAD GOTTEN LAID OFF.

I REMEMBER HIM COMING IN AND HE WAS JUST EMBARRASSED TO SEE ME AND OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, H SAID, "I'LL BE BACK TO WORK.

BUT HE ENDED UP BEING OUT OF WORK FOR A LONG, LONG TIME AND IT WAS JUST SO PAINFUL T SEE, YOU KNOW, THE KINDA -- TH DEPRESSION SET IN.

IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT LEFT AN IMPRESSION ON ME THROUGHOUT MY CAREER.

WORKERS WHO ARE LONG-TER UNEMPLOYED HAVE A LEG DOWN BECAUSE EMPLOYERS ARE IN MAN INSTANCES NOT INTERESTED I CONSIDERING THEM AFTER THEY'VE BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME SO, WE'VE SEEN THE PHENOMENON OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE UNEMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED NEED NOT APPLY.

IT REALLY IS KIND OF A CATCH 22 WHEN AN EMPLOYER SAYS THEY'RE ONLY GONNA CONSIDER WORKERS WH ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A JOB TO GET A JOB.

THAT'S WHY ONE OF TH INITIATIVES THAT MY ORGANIZATION IS VERY ACTIVE IN IS ENCOURAGING THE ADOPTION OF POLICIES THA HELP LOW-INCOME WORKERS AN UNEMPLOYED WORKERS NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PASSED A ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PROHIBI DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE UNEMPLOYED IN THE HIRING PROCESS.

NOW, THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT AN EMPLOYER COULD NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE REASON THAT SOMEBODY BECAME UNEMPLOYED.

BUT WHAT IT DOES DO IS SAY THA YOU CAN'T BE EXCLUDED FROM THE POOL OF CANDIDATES SOLEL BECAUSE YOU'RE UNEMPLOYED.

WE NEED TO, I THINK, INVEST MORE IN QUALITY REEMPLOYMENT SERVICES FOR UNEMPLOYED WORKERS PARTICULARLY LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED WORKERS 'CAUSE IT S -- WILL REALLY BE TRAGEDY FOR -- TO LOSE THEIR WORKERS AND SEE THEM LEAVE THE LABOR MARKET ALTOGETHER.

EVERYONE LOSES IN THAT SCENARIO.

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "NEED TO KNOW.

I'M JEFF GREENFIELD.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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