Top among those recommendations was that many recipients of training felt that job wages were not high enough or hours long enough to make them feel part of the active workforce. Many of the beneficiaries didn't leave programs with adequate knowledge to compete for better jobs in the marketplace. Most of the end jobs were provided by not for profit institutions Va. The Federal I State Programs providing the training did not guarantee longevity in the position beyond the required funding of the position. So job security is our major concern.
Training is needed for jobs that are available.
After having met with leaders in the unemployment training area it became clear to the committee that the issue is more complex than simply putting someone in a training program, graduate them and say they need to be off welfare because they have been trained. Although many of the graduates are literally forced to join a program or lose benefits most appreciated the opportunity to benefit themselves and honestly made a better than good faith effort to become more self-sufficient. These efforts however are impeded by gaps in services they need to stay in the workforce. Late payments for child care by public agencies causing daycare providers to reject the participants prevents many from getting to a new job in a timely manner and risks continued employment. Continuing life skills training and further job training once placed also act as barriers to a successful long-term opportunity.