Some workers in South Carolina are getting help from the government to receive the skills they need in order to find entry level jobs.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce recently announced that it is adding $4 million to the state technical college system's Quick Jobs program. The money is coming from the federal Workforce Investment Act and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The investment in the training program could tremendously help those who are looking for an entry level job. For instance, people can receive up to 240 hours in training for energy-related jobs, such as weatherizing homes, that pay anywhere from $15 to $31 per hour.
Anyone who loses their job to foreign competition or who lacks the skills necessary to be considered for an existing job is eligible for the training. Workers will be screened by state employment offices to see if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Finding entry level jobs has become harder than usual as of late, as older and more experienced workers who have lost their jobs are thrown into the same candidate pool. And in South Carolina, finding any job has become increasingly difficult for some time.
During May, the state's unemployment rate increased from 11.4 percent to 12.1 percent, which is higher than the national unemployment rate of 9.4 percent. South Carolina hasn't seen its unemployment rate decrease since January 2008, when it went from 5.8 percent to 5.7 percent.
Despite the rising unemployment rate, South Carolina has managed to add some jobs as of late. The state had a total non-farm employment of 1,852,000 workers during May, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 1,851,400 workers during April, but a 4.8 percent decrease from last year.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Internships with CBP
United States Customs and Border Protection has launched the Federal Career Intern Program Virtual Job Fair, an internship program to help attract exceptional men and women to the organization.
The CBP is the largest uniformed law enforcement agency in the country. The agency is looking for applicants with competencies that would prepare them for careers in analyzing and implementing public programs, along with diverse professional experience and successful academic training.
The two-year internship program is designed to recruit, develop and retain a group of future leaders for CBP's administrative functions. The recruiting fair will last 30 days and end on July 22.
The goal of the virtual fair is to inform the national community that CBP is looking to hire a growing number of non-uniformed mission support personnel to support its law enforcement efforts.
The agency is currently hiring qualified candidates for the internship program in the following places:
Interning and preparing for a future career with the government is a great idea, as the federal government in particular is one of the country's largest employers. The federal government has more than 1.8 million civilian employees, with nine out of 10 federal employees working outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth generated by increased homeland security will be offset by projected declines in other federal sectors. However, many job openings should be created from the need to replace workers who retire or leave.
And right now, competition for federal positions is harder than usual, because the federal government is one of the only employers that can promise stability amidst the current economic recession.
The CBP is the largest uniformed law enforcement agency in the country. The agency is looking for applicants with competencies that would prepare them for careers in analyzing and implementing public programs, along with diverse professional experience and successful academic training.
The two-year internship program is designed to recruit, develop and retain a group of future leaders for CBP's administrative functions. The recruiting fair will last 30 days and end on July 22.
The goal of the virtual fair is to inform the national community that CBP is looking to hire a growing number of non-uniformed mission support personnel to support its law enforcement efforts.
The agency is currently hiring qualified candidates for the internship program in the following places:
- Accountants – Indianapolis, Ind.
- Contract Specialists – Washington, D.C.
- Budget Analysts – Washington, D.C.
- Management and Program Analysts – Washington, D.C.
- Information Technology Specialists – Washington, D.C.
- Human Resources Specialists – Washington, D.C.
Interning and preparing for a future career with the government is a great idea, as the federal government in particular is one of the country's largest employers. The federal government has more than 1.8 million civilian employees, with nine out of 10 federal employees working outside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth generated by increased homeland security will be offset by projected declines in other federal sectors. However, many job openings should be created from the need to replace workers who retire or leave.
And right now, competition for federal positions is harder than usual, because the federal government is one of the only employers that can promise stability amidst the current economic recession.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Unpaid Internships: Good or Bad?
If you're a current college student or a recent graduate, you probably already know how important internships are. However, securing a paid internship is often a daunting, if not nearly impossible, task. Because of this, many students opt for unpaid internships. But which is the better route to take?
Even though unpaid internships still allow students to gain education, opponents think they only perpetuate the idea that those with money or connections will do better. For example, a student who is paying his or her own way through college would have to settle for a regular job instead of an unpaid internship in order to make ends meet.
According to an article by The New York Times, unpaid internships also promote "over-identification" with employers. Interns have to act happy that they aren't getting paid, which could make them respect their boss too much. That could cause trouble later when workers should be forming unions, asking for raises or inquiring about healthcare or retirement.
Proponents of unpaid internships say that internships provide an invaluable experience for the jobs students might want to pursue. But at the same time, opponents say that working for money can be just as educational and even more gratifying.
"Long hours on your feet waiting tables may not be particularly edifying, but they teach you that work is a routine of obligation, relieved by external reward, where you contribute value to a larger enterprise," the article notes.
There are plausible arguments for and against unpaid internships, but the fact still remains that most colleges today require you to have some sort of experience in the working world before you can graduate. To make the playing level more fair, perhaps colleges should expand their acceptance of accredited internships or provide financial compensation for students involved in unpaid internships.
Even though unpaid internships still allow students to gain education, opponents think they only perpetuate the idea that those with money or connections will do better. For example, a student who is paying his or her own way through college would have to settle for a regular job instead of an unpaid internship in order to make ends meet.
According to an article by The New York Times, unpaid internships also promote "over-identification" with employers. Interns have to act happy that they aren't getting paid, which could make them respect their boss too much. That could cause trouble later when workers should be forming unions, asking for raises or inquiring about healthcare or retirement.
Proponents of unpaid internships say that internships provide an invaluable experience for the jobs students might want to pursue. But at the same time, opponents say that working for money can be just as educational and even more gratifying.
"Long hours on your feet waiting tables may not be particularly edifying, but they teach you that work is a routine of obligation, relieved by external reward, where you contribute value to a larger enterprise," the article notes.
There are plausible arguments for and against unpaid internships, but the fact still remains that most colleges today require you to have some sort of experience in the working world before you can graduate. To make the playing level more fair, perhaps colleges should expand their acceptance of accredited internships or provide financial compensation for students involved in unpaid internships.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Internship Rules
Because of the current state of the economy, many small businesses are hiring unpaid interns this summer.
Extra workers, whether experienced or new to the workforce, can offer a lot of help to a company that can't necessarily afford to hire a regular staff member. However, it's important that businesses don't hire interns only to save money. After all, internships are meant to be for the benefit of the intern, not the employer.
There are actually federal laws that govern internships. The Fair Labor standards Act details the criteria an internship must meet in order for an intern to be unpaid. In essence, the law looks at an unpaid internship as a training program.
The FLSA states that an intern must receive training similar to that offered in a vocational school, with the training to benefit the intern. Also, the intern is not able to displace, or do work of, a regular employee.
The law further states that an employer must receive no immediate advantage from the acts of an intern. That means many tasks that are typical of interns, like stuffing envelopes or performing other services that benefit the employer, are technically illegal.
The FSLA also states that unpaid interns are not necessarily entitled to an entry level job at the end of the internship period. It's also imperative that both the intern and the employer understand that the intern is not entitled to any wages.
Some students who partake in unpaid internships receive college credit in exchange for their experience. Those students are governed by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, which requires an intern to be in a planned program of job training coordinated with school-based learning.
Interns receiving college credit are supposed to perform tasks and activities that build upon one another, increase in complexity and help the intern learn and master basic skills. The intern also should be exposed to all aspects of their chosen industry. As with the FLSA, these interns cannot displace a regular employee.
Extra workers, whether experienced or new to the workforce, can offer a lot of help to a company that can't necessarily afford to hire a regular staff member. However, it's important that businesses don't hire interns only to save money. After all, internships are meant to be for the benefit of the intern, not the employer.
There are actually federal laws that govern internships. The Fair Labor standards Act details the criteria an internship must meet in order for an intern to be unpaid. In essence, the law looks at an unpaid internship as a training program.
The FLSA states that an intern must receive training similar to that offered in a vocational school, with the training to benefit the intern. Also, the intern is not able to displace, or do work of, a regular employee.
The law further states that an employer must receive no immediate advantage from the acts of an intern. That means many tasks that are typical of interns, like stuffing envelopes or performing other services that benefit the employer, are technically illegal.
The FSLA also states that unpaid interns are not necessarily entitled to an entry level job at the end of the internship period. It's also imperative that both the intern and the employer understand that the intern is not entitled to any wages.
Some students who partake in unpaid internships receive college credit in exchange for their experience. Those students are governed by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, which requires an intern to be in a planned program of job training coordinated with school-based learning.
Interns receiving college credit are supposed to perform tasks and activities that build upon one another, increase in complexity and help the intern learn and master basic skills. The intern also should be exposed to all aspects of their chosen industry. As with the FLSA, these interns cannot displace a regular employee.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Top 20 Entry Level Job Markets
A recent study by AfterCollege has revealed the top 20 cities where entry level jobs are available.
The cities with the most entry level jobs, in order, are:
The study included a look at entry level jobs and internships available on AfterCollege and other career networks. Rankings were determined based on the number of unique employers posting opportunities in each city versus the number of opportunities posted per city.
Of all the available opportunities, sales jobs were the most abundant, followed by positions in healthcare, finance, customer service and information technology. Comparatively, a survey completed in April by AfterCollege found that about 80 percent of college students and recent graduates were having difficulty finding work.
“The current economic climate is creating challenges for college students and recent graduates who are looking for jobs, but there are opportunities out there,” Roberto Angulo, CEO of AfterCollege, said. “We encourage job seekers to be diligent in their search and to tap every resource at their disposal, including friends, family, faculty and classmates.”
The cities with the most entry level jobs, in order, are:
- Chicago, IL
- Phoenix, AZ
- Indianapolis, IN
- New York, NY
- Atlanta, GA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Denver, CO
- Cincinnati, OH
- Orlando, FL
- Boston, MA
- Tampa, FL
- Charlotte, NC
- Columbus, OH
- San Diego, CA
- Nashville, TN
- Seattle, WA
- Louisville, KY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Kansas City, MO
- San Francisco, CA
The study included a look at entry level jobs and internships available on AfterCollege and other career networks. Rankings were determined based on the number of unique employers posting opportunities in each city versus the number of opportunities posted per city.
Of all the available opportunities, sales jobs were the most abundant, followed by positions in healthcare, finance, customer service and information technology. Comparatively, a survey completed in April by AfterCollege found that about 80 percent of college students and recent graduates were having difficulty finding work.
“The current economic climate is creating challenges for college students and recent graduates who are looking for jobs, but there are opportunities out there,” Roberto Angulo, CEO of AfterCollege, said. “We encourage job seekers to be diligent in their search and to tap every resource at their disposal, including friends, family, faculty and classmates.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Entry Level Jobs in the UK
Our friends across the ocean have come up with a way to provide thousands of entry level jobs to young workers.
UK Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and James Purnell, work and pensions secretary, recently announced a plan to create up to 10,000 entry level jobs for young people in the cultural industries.
The Department for Work and Pensions will provide 1.1 billion from its Future Jobs Fund to theaters and other arts institutions looking to hire young workers. The fund was launched to support 150,000 jobs throughout all sectors, with between 5,000 and 10,000 in the cultural industries.
Available jobs will be in the form of apprenticeships or on-the-job training and will receive at least the national minimum wage. Those who are 18 to 24-years old and have been out of work for up to a year are eligible to apply for positions, according to an article by The Stage.
The first wave of funding will help create 200 jobs for young people working with music festivals this summer. Funding will be given to other industries later this year and early 2010. Funding will be allocated on a case by case basis and organizations must bid for money.
“It’s made very clear to you when you are made a minister in this department that basically your job is to get the money in," Purnell said in the article. "And I want to pay tribute to Andy for the completely ruthless way he has extracted this money from the DWP. If we get this right, this can be a bigger injection of money into the creative and sporting sectors than anything that was achieved in recent comprehensive spending reviews.”
UK Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and James Purnell, work and pensions secretary, recently announced a plan to create up to 10,000 entry level jobs for young people in the cultural industries.
The Department for Work and Pensions will provide 1.1 billion from its Future Jobs Fund to theaters and other arts institutions looking to hire young workers. The fund was launched to support 150,000 jobs throughout all sectors, with between 5,000 and 10,000 in the cultural industries.
Available jobs will be in the form of apprenticeships or on-the-job training and will receive at least the national minimum wage. Those who are 18 to 24-years old and have been out of work for up to a year are eligible to apply for positions, according to an article by The Stage.
The first wave of funding will help create 200 jobs for young people working with music festivals this summer. Funding will be given to other industries later this year and early 2010. Funding will be allocated on a case by case basis and organizations must bid for money.
“It’s made very clear to you when you are made a minister in this department that basically your job is to get the money in," Purnell said in the article. "And I want to pay tribute to Andy for the completely ruthless way he has extracted this money from the DWP. If we get this right, this can be a bigger injection of money into the creative and sporting sectors than anything that was achieved in recent comprehensive spending reviews.”
Monday, May 18, 2009
Internships with D.C. Council
The D.C. Council Youth Internship Program is providing eight students with internships this summer.
The program, established by Chairman Vincent C. Gray, places D.C. students in the internship, which takes place at the John A. Wilson Building. According to an article by The Washington Times, high school juniors and seniors are given professional and educational experience in the council's central offices. Interns are managed by the Office of Youth Programs.
"Youth are at the heart of the community" Cedric Jennings, director of Youth Programs, said in the article. "We expect our interns to provide fresh ideas and insight into their age groups. In turn, we plan to provide District youth with a unique opportunity to learn about the nuts-and-bolts work of the legislative branch of government."
The internship allows students to gain inside knowledge and experience. Interns receive training in such subjects as customer relations, etiquette and public speaking. They're also required to volunteer with community service projects.
Internships are offered not only to students with good grades, but to those who also demonstrate leadership skills and are involved in the community. This summer 100 students applied for internships.
"I was extremely pleased about the high interest and competition for the intern slots among the city's youth," Gray said in the article. "We've been able to select young people with varied interests, those who have excelled academically, students who already have shown a commitment to serving the community, and many we expect to become leaders in government or in whatever careers they choose."
The program, established by Chairman Vincent C. Gray, places D.C. students in the internship, which takes place at the John A. Wilson Building. According to an article by The Washington Times, high school juniors and seniors are given professional and educational experience in the council's central offices. Interns are managed by the Office of Youth Programs.
"Youth are at the heart of the community" Cedric Jennings, director of Youth Programs, said in the article. "We expect our interns to provide fresh ideas and insight into their age groups. In turn, we plan to provide District youth with a unique opportunity to learn about the nuts-and-bolts work of the legislative branch of government."
The internship allows students to gain inside knowledge and experience. Interns receive training in such subjects as customer relations, etiquette and public speaking. They're also required to volunteer with community service projects.
Internships are offered not only to students with good grades, but to those who also demonstrate leadership skills and are involved in the community. This summer 100 students applied for internships.
"I was extremely pleased about the high interest and competition for the intern slots among the city's youth," Gray said in the article. "We've been able to select young people with varied interests, those who have excelled academically, students who already have shown a commitment to serving the community, and many we expect to become leaders in government or in whatever careers they choose."
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