why are the unemployed being trained for better jobs that don't exist?

[grasswire]

I ran into a woman yesterday who was laid off and was put into advanced computer training when she filed for unemployment. It just hit me that this is likely a waste of money if there are no jobs available that are as good or better than the one she had.

How many millions are being spent on this re-training? Might the money be better spent on jobs -- real jobs?

[emilyg]

1. Of course it would. Stupid approach.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Good question.

They never answer that one.

I got my doctorate 25 years ago. Didn't help.

:shrug:

[grasswire]

3. This appears to be just a sop.

Dangled in front of the unemployed to perpetuate the notion that better times will come if they just keep trying.

It's a ruse, isn't it?

[JDPriestly]

10. I didn't get my doctorate way back when. I figured it 0-would just

put me out of the running for jobs. I was right.

I'm sorry that a highly qualified person like you is considered "over-educated." That is a term I have never understood. How can a person be "over-educated"?

[undeterred]

4. Well, I don't think it can ever hurt to get computer training.

Having no computer skills at all is going to keep you out of a lot of jobs altogether. There are a lot of temp assignments that you can get with skills in Microsoft Office if you are in the right place, so its not like there are no jobs to be had.

[DJ13]

5. Its the Amway model

After she graduates the only job she might get is to teach advanced computer training to the next round of unemployed.

[notesdev]

6. Because the country is on autopilot

There is nobody in our entire political class who has a realistic vision of a positive future. The system filters against those who would alter the status quo in any meaningful fashion.

[Kokonoe]

7. Follow the money,

Republicans want to make money, not train people how to make it.

[SharonAnn]

8. Are Republicans running the training and charging the gov't for it?

The only reason I can think of for offering computer training classes, when there are so many people with that training who can't find jobs, is that someone is getting paid to run the training classes.

So, who's running the training classes? Who's paying for them? Who's getting paid for them?

[Hannah Bell]

11. typically it's community college/university employees. at least in my state.

the way i've always figured it was that training programs were a sop to the professional class. it's either extra income for the ones with regular jobs or temporary income for the ones looking for stable jobs.

i taught some mandatory classes for folks on welfare once. once was enough. they were forcing people to drive 40 miles over a mountain pass to attend the classes, which were just basic job search/resume crap. 90% of the people knew 90% of it already. 4 hours a day they had to take the classes, plus drive time & job search time. plus lining up child care.

[Kokonoe]

13. It's who gets paid to hire trainers

Republicans find a system that works, use a monkey wrench to fix it and collect the cash.

Private Companies.

[Digit]

9. I took a course called Office Technology at the local CC

Almost ALL of the students there were attending for free since they were unemployed. I was self pay as I did not know it was an option at the time, but I digress.

Supposedly, we were to learn Microsoft Office 07. After the first couple of days, the teacher (who seemed very good) found a full-time job elsewhere, so she had her boyfriend teach the class. He apparently had NO CLUE how to use ANY version of MS Office so he entertained us with amusing YouTube Videos and other videos basically biased against Obama and liberals...he had the debt clock on the board most of the time. Most of the students did not care and just wanted to play, but several of us complained. The person in charge of the program told him to stop, but he didn't. They didn't even bother to teach how to use Outlook which is one of the main applications employers want you to be familiar with.

Then the next portion of the class on how to conduct yourself at an interview and such was taught by a MS Office certified person. It was so damn backwards.

We had to rate the class at the end and I think I filled two pages.

I made up a power point presentation on how to get free training online...I felt so sorry for these kids.

What a waste of money....paying unqualified teachers to show stupid videos.

[Hannah Bell]

12. i've never seen a community college where you can just have your boyfriend teach the class.

i think there must be more to this story.

[raccoon]

15. I wish you and other students had contacted the college president and raised Cain.

If this happens to anyone else, do that!

[raccoon]

14. Maybe it's to help keep jobs in the education field. I'm being sort of

:silly: and sort of :sarcasm:, but hey, if enrollments drop off, somebody's likely to get laid off.