Richardson, in sending the useful BLS DAILY REPORT quotes the following: > >In the national effort to move millions of welfare recipients into the >work force over the next few years, the key challenge is not likely to >be a lack of jobs, says The Washington Post (Sept. 22, page A1). For >the most part, experts are convinced that the American economy can >create the 2 million or so jobs for those who will be required to find >work under the new welfare law. Nor will the problem be that adults on >the welfare rolls, most of whom are women, can't compete for those jobs. > Generally, case workers and state welfare agencies say that, although >women on welfare typically have poor job skills and little education, >most can still find at least an entry-level position ....The central >issue most apt to stand in the way of true welfare reform is figuring >out how to help these workers keep a job over a sustained period of >time. What communities ... are finding through programs already in >place is that many welfare recipients lack the kinds of basic resources, >training, and practical experience that help middle-class workers >weather the challenges of the workplace, everything from a credit card >to use when the car battery dies to the "soft skills" that communicate a >positive attitude and help employees deal with day-to-day office >politics and workplace conflicts ....The Post says that the challenge of >finding jobs and keeping them has been made much more difficult by the >large-scale suburbanization of new employment and uses BLS figures on >employment and unemployment in some cities, counties, and metropolitan >areas .... > If the economy can't create enough jobs for the massive number of unemployed now, why are these "experts" so convinced? And who are they?
