Repost: "Jobs for All" - Telling the Real Stories of Access to Opportunity

On April 10th, Gamaliel hosted Telling Our Stories: How to Organize a Powerful People’s Field Hearing (or Roundtable) on Jobs, a webinar that focused on telling the real stories of access to job opportunities in the construction field. The recap below includes links to the online event's PowerPoint presentation and video as well as information for those interested in organizing field hearings regarding construction job access.

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PowerPoint Presentation: Slides
Video link: Telling our Stories

A Timeline for Organizing a People’s Field Hearings

“Jobs for All:” Telling the Real Stories of Access to Opportunity

Who: People of faith, leaders in the community, elected officials at all levels of government—especially Members of Congress—U.S. Department of Labor regional staff, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regional staff, other decision-makers

When: Late spring and summer 2014

Why: For too long, low income people, people of color, and women have been denied access to quality jobs and career paths in the construction industry because of outdated federal regulations. Now is the time for reform. “Jobs for All” People’s Field Hearings provide a powerful vehicle for telling the real stories about access to opportunity in the construction industry and for calling on decision-makers to act now to create an economy that works for all Americans.

Resources: We have provided several sample resources on the Gamaliel/TEN website from transportation field hearings held by our affiliates. These may be adapted for the “Jobs for All” field hearings.

• Commitment Card (PDF)
• Field Hearing Bulletin Insert (PDF)
• MORE2 Photo and Story Release
• Program (PDF)
• Pulpit Announcement
• Save the Date Postcard (PDF)
• Transit Story Want Ad

Timeline:

• Three weeks to six weeks (or more) ahead of field hearing:
• Assemble your leadership team – give special attention to the following lead roles: targets, logistics, media, turnout, agenda roles and preparation
• Develop the agenda for your field hearing
• Begin turnout process
• Invite targets (Members of Congress, local and state elected officials)
• Enlist agenda participants, including facilitators
• Meet with representative of host congregation
• At least two weeks in advance of the field hearing:
• Reach out to media
• Check in about turnout
• Follow up with MOC offices and other elected offices
• One week ahead of the field hearing:
• Train facilitators
• Check in about turnout
• Follow up with MOC offices and other elected offices, as needed
• Reconfirm logistical needs with host congregation
• Two to three days ahead of field hearing:
• Hold field hearing rehearsal
• Check in with media about presence at event
• Submit press release to all media outlets
• Day of field hearing:
• Arrive early for set-up ( prep for arrival of targets, media, individuals on agenda, facilitators, other participants)
• Hold pre-meeting with those who have roles
• Host evaluation following the field hearing
• Within 24 hours following field hearing:
• Submit report, media received, and photos to “Dream for All” Campaign Staff
• If no media was present at field hearing, send a brief story with photos to the press


©2014 Gamaliel

Repost: Apprenticeships lead to higher pay, but only for men

Young Canadian women who apprenticed had lower incomes than high school and college grads

Canadian men who complete an apprenticeship can expect to earn more than men who have only a high school education, more than men with trade qualifications and even more than many college graduates, according to a working paper on apprenticeships based on the 2006 census.

But the story is much different for women, with females who complete apprenticeships earning less than women with high school or college degrees or women in trades, according to the report Returns to Apprenticeship.

The study by University of Toronto researchers Morley Gunderson and Harry Krashinsky found male apprentices, who tend to be in the construction and mechanical trades, earned 24 per cent more than men who had a high school degree.

They brought home 15 per cent more money than those in the trades who were not apprenticed and two per cent more than college graduates. University graduates continued to outstrip those with apprenticeships, with incomes 40 per cent higher than high school graduates, though that number may be changing as the opportunities for university graduates diminish.

The results emphasize the value of apprenticeships, which many provinces are promoting as an alternative to college or university. With construction booming, businesses are reporting skilled trades shortages.

Unemployment among young people in Canada is now above 14 per cent.

Still, only a small percentage of the Canadian workforce has completed an apprenticeship — about 7.7 per cent of men and 1.6 per cent of women. The system of fostering apprentices is more common in Europe, but the study questioned why so few young men take on apprenticeships when the benefit appears to be so clear.

Canadian women were better off just completing high school, the study found. For women taking "an apprenticeship yields lower returns than simply completing high school and substantially lower returns than completing community college, likely reflecting the fact that female apprenticeships tend to be in low-wage jobs in industries like food and service," the study found.

The areas where women apprenticed were professions such as hairdressing and chef’s assistant. Those who completed apprenticeships earned 25 per cent less than women who completed college and 6.6 per cent less than high school graduates, the study found.

To read the full article, visit http://www.cbc.ca.