In small towns and large cities alike, I've heard the concerns of many of these remarkable people — the electrician who was laid off when the housing market collapsed; the seamstress who is making half as much as she used to although she now works twice as hard; the recent college graduate who can't find a job and is running up against student loan payments; the senior who thought she would be retired by now, but just can't afford it on what's left of her pension; and the veteran returning from service and wondering how he will make a living to support his wife and baby girl. I know that on this Labor Day holiday, many Americans are feeling more anxiety than festivity.
The big question: Are things getting better? To answer that, we need to look back more than a year ago, when the economy was losing a staggering 800,000 jobs a month. Our actions, most notably the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, stopped those losses.
The Recovery Act saved millions of American jobs — keeping health care providers in hospitals, teachers in classrooms, and police and firefighters on the beat. But the benefits weren't just in the public sector. During the past eight months, the economy has averaged 95,000 new private sector jobs.
Still, at 9.6%, the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high. So as we stem jobs losses, we must also accelerate growth in every sector of the economy — from health care and renewable energy to advanced technology and manufacturing.
'Smart investments'
One of the ways this administration is accomplishing that goal is through smart investments in the American workforce. We are ensuring industries that we know are growing have workers prepared through high-quality training programs that we know are working.
For instance, during a recent trip to Nevada, I met a plumber who spent half of his life mastering his craft at a company from which he hoped to retire. Then, the recession hit — hard. Despite having a job that people of my father's generation thought was recession-proof, he found himself unemployed.
He didn't want to tell me his problems. Instead, he talked to me about how he was leveraging opportunity — specifically a training program made available by my department — into a new career. Although it had been years since he was in a classroom, this seasoned tradesman was learning a new trade. Soon, the classes had opened the door for him to the high-growth renewable energy industry. Today, he is a solar panel installer. He loves his job, and his family's finances are back on track.
This story is not unique. I have heard them from countless people across the country — the former auto worker turned medical assistant and the recently single mother who went back to school to become a heating and air conditioning technician. They remind me that America's spirit of "can do" is unstoppable, and that our nation's workers are the best in the world.
So, then ... what's next?
It's up to you
I am not an economist. I believe that numbers only tell you part of the story. I deal with real people, and I know that the only true replacement for a job lost, is a new job that pays good wages. I'm committed to making that a reality for anyone who wants a job.
That's why I'm so excited to announce www.myskillsmyfuture.org— a new online tool to connect workers with high quality training and local employment.
By visiting the site and adding information about your most recent work experience, you can see exactly what skills you need to qualify for a broad range of careers. You can also find local training and education providers and, yes — you can see local job postings.
In other words, what's next ... is up to you.
There are jobs out there. And, this Labor Day — and every day — I'm going to continue helping people find them and employers fill them. If you're ready to embrace a 21st century career, I want you to know your Department of Labor is here to help you. And, if you're an employer looking to fill positions, we've got a list of great candidates for you.
Helping the nation is our job, and we are committed to doing it very well. After all, it's exactly what our economy needs and the least Americans deserve.
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