Cumberland Times-News

Letters

September 6, 2010

Labor Department working for you every day

To the Editor: Cumberland Times-News

— Labor Day has come to mark many things — the unofficial end of summer or the beginning of a new school year. But for me, Labor Day has always been what it was originally intended to be: a day to celebrate the contributions that working men and women have made to the strength and prosperity of the country.

As we mark this year’s Labor Day, I know that many workers throughout Allegany County, the tri-state area, and the country continue to feel more anxious than festive.

But the tide is turning. When President Obama took office 20 months ago, the country was losing a staggering 800,000 jobs a month. Now we are gaining an average of 90,000 new private sector jobs every month. As we stem the loss of jobs, we must accelerate growth in all sectors of the economy — from healthcare to technology and manufacturing, so that everyone who wants a good job can get one.

The latest unemployment rate of 9.1 percent for the Cumberland metropolitan area is unacceptably high, but one of the reasons it remains below the national average is because of the strength of local health care jobs.

It’s easy to think about the health care sector in terms of doctors and dentists, but this growing industry requires workers with far more diverse skills. Nationally, 10 of the 20 fastest growing occupations are health care-related and projections point to the creation of 3.2 million new healthcare jobs between 2008 and 2018.

In Allegany County, where more than one in four workers is employed in the health care and social assistance industries, there is a real opportunity for workers to prepare themselves for these jobs.

Still, it can be difficult to know what jobs you are most qualified for, or what kind of training it takes to successfully transition from one career to the next. So this Labor Day we are unveiling “mySkills myFuture” — a new online tool to help job seekers do just that. By visiting www.myskillsmyfuture.org you can see exactly what skills you need, find local training and education providers (like the Career One Stop center in Cumberland), and view real job postings in your area. There are jobs out there and I want to make sure you have the tools available to find them and fill them.

I’m committed to re-tooling the American workforce with new knowledge and skills, because I know training programs work. I’m proud to say that 85 percent of those who completed a Department of Labor-sponsored “dislocated worker” training program found a job within one year.  

Unfortunately, you know that budget cuts and company layoffs can still reach these growing industries, so investments that strengthen the safety net for the unemployed are needed as well. Since January 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor has ensured that 29 million Americans received the unemployment benefits they earned. Because of unemployment insurance modernization efforts funded in the Recovery Act, an estimated 100,000 unemployed Americans received benefits they would not otherwise have received.

 Maryland was one of the states that qualified for its full share of these funds — more than $125 million. This investment helped the state update antiquated unemployment laws and make unemployment assistance available to more American workers.

The U.S. economy is undoubtedly changing, and it is growing stronger every day. All Americans have a role to play in the recovery of our economy. Together, we can address the immediate needs facing working families, and restore America’s economy as the strongest history has ever seen.

I wish everyone a safe and prosperous Labor Day.

Hilda L. Solis

U.S. Secretary of Labor

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