Gov. John Kasich has a new initiative he is pushing---job training. Here is a story followed by my opinion.
Fox 19:
Governor Kasich announced a commitment Monday from three community colleges to actively recruit and train young minorities in Ohio, including Cincinnati State. The Queen City college will be launching a new training program for people working in the food service industry.
"It is not good enough in Ohio for only those in the suburbs to realize the benefit of economic growth and prosperity," Gov. Kasich said during a special event celebrating the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. "We want members of our minority communities to advance and become managers in the state of Ohio and leaders in our country in the business profession," Gov. Kasich went on to say.....
On the surface, providing job training sounds like a good idea. However, what does this type of job training say about John Kasich and his views of minorities?
Why is there such an emphasis on food service? Food service jobs are
(a) low paying, usually at or near the minimum wage,
(b) subject to the ups and downs of a changing market,
(c) restrictive, in that the chances for advancement are small,
(d) not providing opportunities for training for new technology for the 21st century,
(e) the program appears to limit minorities to low-paying jobs.
Take a look at what Sen. Sherrod Brown said when he discussed a new program to train candidates for biosciences. Cincinnati State:
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown joined President Owens, officials from the BioOhio program and other guests for a press conference at Cincinnati State to discuss strategies for connecting individuals with jobs in emerging and high-tech industries.
Of particular interest to Sen. Brown is a program jointly operated by Cincinnati State and Sinclair Community College that trains unemployed workers for jobs in the biosciences industry.
“It’s unacceptable that so many hardworking Ohioans are struggling to find jobs while high-tech industries struggle to fill vacancies. That’s why it’s critical that we invest limited workforce training resources to not only help unemployed workers find jobs, but also to attract new employers in high-tech industries,” Sen. Brown said, during a press event held at a biotech lab in the Health Professions Building on Cincinnati State’s main campus. “By working with Cincinnati State and Sinclair,’’ he added, “BioOhio is helping connect more Ohioans with the jobs of tomorrow, while also boosting Ohio’s biotech industry.”
BioOhio is a non-profit organization launched in 1987 to promote research, education and industry involving bioscience in Ohio. Today, more than 1,340 bioscience firms have operations in Ohio, employing more than 62,500, according to the organization.....
Which program provides students with more opportunities for growth, challenges, and an opportunity to provide an income for a family? The food service program appears to limit minority students to only low paying, part time jobs in the food industry. Personally, I believe that Sen. Sherrod Brown and the federal program provide endless possibilities for students.