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Remarks Prepared for Delivery By
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
Job Corps Annual Leadership Summit
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thank you, Esther [Johnson, National Director, Office of Job Corps].
And thanks for your leadership!
Let me also recognize the choir from the Turner Job Corps Center in Albany, Georgia. You are terrific!
I also want to welcome the Job Corps students who are here today.
Finally, let me congratulate Dr. Jess Ussrey, this year's recipient of the Job Corps Hall of Fame Award.
This afternoon, permit me to share some thoughts on a New Vision for Job Corps that will help our young people succeed in this new century.
As we move into the 21st century, it is clear that our country is transitioning to a knowledge-based economy. Two-thirds of the new jobs created in the next decade will require more skills and more education. By definition, these jobs pay above average wages. So our challenge is to strengthen Job Corps and give at-promise youth the skills and education they need to access these growing opportunities.
That's why we developed a new system for the Job Corps that will make it better and more effective than ever. This system is called the New Vision, and the rollout has just begun. And all the key stakeholders — center operators, federal staff, training partners including our very valuable organized labor partners, and educators — have a key role to play in implementing this strategy. This summit includes workshops to familiarize you with the goals of this new system and your part in making them a reality. So thank you so much for being here today and investing so much of yourselves in this important program.
Let me outline a few of the key elements of the New Vision.
The first key element is strengthening the academic foundation of Job Corps and expanding student enrichment programs such as tutoring and mentoring. Right now the popular STARS Initiative, which I officially launched at the Woodland Center last fall, gives students a preview of some of the academic enrichment we are incorporating into Job Corps classrooms. The STARS Initiative attracts motivational speakers to inspire students to pursue their educational and training goals. Then, it involves tutors to strengthen the academics of students. Lastly, mentors engage and track the progress of these promising young people. The STARS pilot program has been well received and will soon be implemented in 12 more centers, for a total of 25.
A second key element of the New Vision system is strengthening the social-skills training that students receive, so they are ready for work when they graduate. These skills include how to be part of a team, learning to express differing opinions in a constructive manner and other skills that are important when working in today's increasingly diverse workplace. Employers continually tell us that they can teach the basic technical skills of a job, but that they are encountering more first-time job entrants who lack the basic social skills needed to work in an organization. So we want to ensure that Job Corps students have a thorough grounding in the social, as well as the academic, skills needed to get and keep a job.
A third key element is to update Job Corps training certifications to meet national standards. This will ensure that the skills Job Corps students gain are relevant and recognized by employers. This is critical to ensuring that Job Corps graduates are competitive. In other words, we want to make sure that Job Corps trains students for real jobs in the real world, and does not just process them through a system. Candidates with relevant skills such as those taught by our committed organized labor partners have a better chance of earning apprenticeships and securing a job with a future.
As the New Vision for the Job Corps is rolled out, one theme you will hear emphasized over and over again is "increasing rigor and relevance." This is our mantra for improving academic standards and ensuring that job training is relevant. This theme characterizes the changes ahead, but also fits perfectly with the Department's key mission of increasing the competitiveness of all workers.
That's so important because more than ever before, education, training, and re-training are the keys to future employment and earnings. Let me share with you a few examples of how education impacts wages:
Today, high school dropouts average about $522 per week for full-time work and their unemployment rate is about 7.4 percent.
Workers with a high school diploma average $704 weekly and have a 4.6 percent unemployment rate.
And workers with some college or an associate degree average about $846 per week and their unemployment rate is 3.4 percent.
But workers with a bachelor's degree or higher average $1,393 per week and have an unemployment rate of 2 percent.
So post-secondary education really pays off!
You probably won't be surprised to learn that the Department continues to believe that Job Corps fits best within the Employment and Training Administration and should be returned there. After all, ETA is on the cutting edge of implementing employer-focused training initiatives. But whether the Job Corps is in the Office of the Secretary or the ETA, we are committed to doing everything we can to advance the Job Corps mission and strengthen its programs. And we are making real progress.
Since the transfer was completed, the Department has kept its promise to raise teacher salaries to bring them more in line with industry standards. The Department also established an Advisory Committee on Job Corps to examine the entire program and make recommendations on how to improve it. And the Department has worked to rebuild the Katrina-affected Job Corps Centers in the Gulf Coast region. In fact, the New Orleans center's second and last reconstruction phase is expected to be completed later this fall — I just visited there recently. And at the Gulfport, Mississippi center, the Department is arranging for modular facilities to be built so learning and training can occur until repairs are fully completed.
Throughout this summit and this afternoon, we've shared a lot about what's on the horizon for Job Corps and the Department's New Vision for Job Corps in the New Century. Let me assure you that the Department remains committed to ensuring that Job Corps will serve at-promise youth in a way that will help them succeed in the 21st century economy. We share a common goal, which is for each Job Corps student to become an independent, successful member of his or her community with a bright future and solid career path.
So let me thank you for everything you are doing to help at-promise youth succeed. You are a beacon of hope and opportunity for these young people, and there is no more rewarding career in life. Thank you again, and have a safe, enjoyable trip back to your regions!
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