Newspapers / Saint Mary’s School Student … / May 1, 1983, edition 1 / Page 3
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“T may, 1983 by Clara Hewell The CETA Program, Comprehensive Employment Training Act, has helped the poor find employment for nine years. It is a nationally recognized program which has drawn a lot of attention for the majority of these nine years that it has been in effect. The main objective of the CETA is to train the unemployed for jobs and to employ them in federally funded jobs. There has been much controversy over CETA, whether it helps or whether it is another means of ripping off the government. For those who have been aided by the CETA, it is an important part of their lives without which they would be destitute. For others, it is an easy job, a guaranteed minimum wage. It is the latter group that has created a stir. The government has already spent an enormous amount of money on CETA and the results are not encouraging. How successful can a program be if even a small portion of those sponsored do not find jobs on their own after they finish work with CETA? The main purpose is to train the poor and unskilled so that they might find these jobs once they learn a skill. Unfortunately, no one has come up with a solution to the problem of the inadequacy of the CETA Program. Some authorities, such as ex-Labor Secretary Raymond DoNovan, says that at “the least CETA’s a disappointment”!, while others, such as Mitchell Gen- sbreg, dean of Columbia University School of Social Work, claim that “Without CETA jobs, thousands of workers may end up on welfare. ”2 Which is right, let the poor go unskilled and unemployed ? or waste government dollars in the hopra that a small percent will benefit? The comprehensive Em ployment and Training Act was passed in 1973, under the ad ministration of President Richard M. Nixon. Concerned with the enormous number of unemployed in America, the government hoped that this program would improve those statistics. CETA was designed to give classroom and on-the- job training for young people, elderly, welfare receipents and minorities.3 It also provided federally funded public service jobs at the minimum wage. The program set up hundreds of departments in cities all over the country to serve this pur pose. These local offices receive money from the federal government to pay for the expenses necessary for operation. There have been Questions about whether or not I'HE BELLES CETA PROGRAM have lost hope. Others have family problems or are simply lazy. Welfare is usually the last resort for the group that will not or can not participate in the CETA Program. It seems as though these people simply go from one form of federal aid to another. The job training program is sensible yet the success is minimal. The idea is to train the unskilled in jobs such as clerical work, auto mechanics, or household maintainance for example. Once trained, the recipients are expected to find employment not sponsored by the government. This is not always easy, especially with today’s economy. If these people are constantly turned down for jobs, they lose hope and eventually give up. Hence, the entire process that they went through to learn their skill as a failure. “After 53 billion dollars spent, CETA placed only fifteen percent of its clients in private sector em- ployment.”5 That js a very disappointing statistic. What is the cause of this dismal outcome of CETA? Houston, Texas’s local CETA official Mark Work claimsAhat meant to be followed. Through the past nine years, several different presidents with dif ferent views of how CETA should work have held office. .Jimmy Carter felt that CETA should be increased and made a prime effort to improve it. In contrast. Ronald Reagan and his Reaganomics feels that CETA is a total waste and should be terminated. As a result of those views, the rules and regulations for CETA have been changed many times. This unstability causes confusion when those already on CETA have to adjust to new rules and under a new administration. A serious problem that CETA workers haye to face is the reaction they receive from the general public. The attitude of the country today is that CETA workers are usually lazy and ignorant and as a result, treat them as though they are. For example, there is a program in CETA which provides youths in jobs during the summer. This reaches roughly one million youths out on vacation from school. While employed, these young people receive indifferent treatment. They have to prove themselves the problem “involves' Ithe.jb:get any.kind of recognition whole psychology' oT the- poor‘‘fOr the job they are doing other and their attitudes towards' work. ”6 This statement illustrates the discouragement that many of the professionals who work for CETA are feeling. The high dropout and low job placement rates contribute to the question of whether or not CETA is worth the time and money the government has spent to try to help these people. With the economy as it is today, more and more people are replying negatively to this question. President Reagan has declared that his new budget program does not include CETA. He called for the ter- ination of the program this fall. The end of CETA will hurt a large amount of people who really need it to get by. Sadly enough, however, officials don t terrible place. sympathize with th«epeoi^ as should be done to "’“Ud rgivSg'lherfa' .his . seemmgl, to help people than their minimum wage salary. I, myself, worked at a day camp for retarded children with CETA workers one summer. As a fact, the CETA workers were generally regarded as lazy and incapable of trust or dependancy. This is a terrible attitude but un fortunately, one which is hard to erase. The young “get such a strong message of cynicsm and corruption that it cannot fail to carry over into their attitudes about work, crime, and society.”? These youths are impressionable, and this view of the employment situation could prove to be harmful to their motivation. They lose the desire to learn a trade and get into the business world if they feel that that world is such a are whom situation? Un hopeless money to neip peop.c statistics speak they feel are taking advan g than anything and the of them. Not surprisingly, it "o* only the recipients on the CETA program that are taking ad- Lntage of the Federal government’s money to this program. Local management of CETA has been found guilty of misusing funds meant for CETA programs. There were charges in fifteen cities, sixty- four indictments em- ezzlement. false statements, theft and kickbacks.6 CETA officia s often lack the motivation to statistics on CETA are not hopeful or encouraging. One optimistic study was performed at Johns Hopkins University on the Baltimore area. This research found that three- fourths of the CETA par ticipants landed unsubsidized jobs within three years of the program.3 Though this is en couraging, it also illustrates the waste of time and money spent on the ones who either tried and didn’t make it or those who simply not motivated enough to go out and look for a job. Maybe Hucsiions aooui wneiner or iiui oiien „ o„:Hpiines for some, the minimum wage this money has been wisely and uphold one more earned on CETA is enough. This w-ii. „ -r .u„ fact in itself is one inoic „,.„hipmc legally spent. Because of the number of employed, corruption and fraud are bound Id take place because it is ex tremely hard to keep an eagle eye on all of the employees. CETA is directed at the Browing number of poor, un skilled, and unemployed sector |n America. The rapid increase either or to reason for the need to improve the program “^alfflude of the cETAofn?|ji^„f-"Sr.' examples sho»^ •» 'g P trying to * ™ J jre a bad themselves will acqu r^,^^j^ >n the population of this group the business wonu. .. has alarmed government of- in charge can take ficials. This growth has these peop^ |J/"goternment;s l^pccially Ix'cn evident during ” ‘ ” he past decade, Unem- 'oyment has never been worse since the Great Depression. A niajor problem with trying to help (his group is, un- ortuiiatcly, their poor attitude, f those taking training skills by CETA, was close to Many of those fj^^Pputs feel as though they are ghting an uphill battle and ,, sponsored Pc dropout rate ,"’y percent.4 a ride ihev? This expence. '\hy • endless circle J a^ discouraging some 1‘"^',’"StA officials use the local count % federal funds ^ employees such ^^1^^ firemen „ded for what it vras mt^^ jjs,ur- Auother cau. con- aiice "ithin regulations fusion o\er may be one of the problems. Maybe the security CETA provides is harmful to the recipients. Maybe the jobs should be more competitive with a need for w orkers to prove themselves on the job. More money should be spent on training the employees instead of simply giving them a salary. The Labor Department estimates that “in 1980, only about eighteen percent of CETA funds was spent on training while fourty-four percent went for stipends and allowances for participants and thirty-eight ^rcent was spent on ad ministration and support services.”9 The glaring figures still exist. CETA program offers no permanant benefits; the only waranteed aid exists while the individual is on the CETA program. After that he or she is on his own and this is often where the trouble lies. CETA has been called “the most ambitious and certainly most visible”! 1 program sponsored by the federal government. Perhaps it is too ambitious and optimistic. Certainly an in credible amount of money has gone in to CETA without reciprocation. The achievements of the program are certainly not in line with (he costs. The major problem that I see with the CETA program is the enormous amount of money spent with little results. The attitudes of the people involved is also a strong factor in this, unfortunately, a factor that is very hard to change. This at titude has existed for a long time and has always been harmful. to society. If the workers for the CETA program could be improved them maybe the recipients of the aid provided by CETA could be improved. With today’s economy in such bad shape, however, something must be done quickly. (“Taking Shape: Smaller U.S. Role in Job Training,”U.S. News and World Report, April. PAGE 3 1982, p.68. 2“Where Budget Cuts Stir Biggest Protest,” U.S. News and World Report, Mav, 1981 p.l7. 3“Taking Shape; Smaller U.S. Role in Job Training.” p.69. 4“How CETA Became a F'our Letter Word.” Fortune, April 9, 1979, p.ll2. 5Ibid:. p.ll2. eibid., p.ll4. 7Ibid. p,112. 8“Taking Shape: Smaller U.S. Role in Job Training,” p 70. 9Ibid., p.68 10“CETAmania.” Fortune, June 18, 1979, p.46. ll“How CETA Became a F'our Letter Word,” p.ll2. — The above article won first piace in the coiiege contest sponsored by the Department of Engiish. BYTES AND PIECES: NEWS REVIEWS The techniques are the same, but the goods vary. VW buses with false panels are used by a group of Californians to smuggle Bibles into Communist countries. ...Newsweek Microcomputers are projected to take over the lead in sales by 1986, surpassing the sales of mainframes and leaving minicomputers far behind. ...Wall Street Week Liberation theology, a facet of revolutionary thou^t and activity in Meso and South America, expresses itself vividly in the poetry of Juan Antonio Espinosa, S.J. To bring freedom, THE LORD IS BORN Breaking our chains, THE LORD IS BORN In every free person, THE LORD IS BORN EVERY DAY. To vanquish poverty THE LORD IS BORN For the poor who suffer, THE LORD IS BORN For the equality of people THE LORD IS BORN EVERY DAY. In Every Person Who Hopes.. James and Margaret Goff Those shimmering creatures of the sea, the Paper Nautilus Octopi, have resisted domestic breeding. Patient biologists are reporting suc cess. CBS News Japanese communications Industrials are planning to take advantage of AT&T divestiture with a repeat of the success pattern which made their autos, cameras and TVs favorites on the American scene. New York Times Congratulations Seniors! UP TO 4 STUDENTS PERMITTED PER APARTMENT KEEPS YOUR MONTHLY RENT PER PERSON REASONABLE! Located adjacent to Wake County Medical Center and 1-64! Just 10 minutes from St. Mary’s College. Year round indoor swrimming pool, exercise room and clubhouse. Tbnnis courts and outdoor pool too! One and two bedroom plans offer modern kitchen, air conditioning, and carpeting. Cablevision and HBO available. Direct Bus service. For complete information and a complimentary indoor pool pass, visit us 9-6:00 p.m, daily, Saturday 10- 5:00 p.m. 9 MONTH LEASE AVAILABL WakeField AmRTMENTS 3105 HOLSTON LANE ST. MARY S PHONE 832-3929 college TODAY! WAKE county MEOrCAi CENTER
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May 1, 1983, edition 1
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