Need to Know: May 3, 2013: Retraining America

Even as unemployment remains stubbornly high, millions of jobs remain unfilled because many workers do not have the necessary training to fill them. This week, “Need to Know” correspondent Rick Karr travels to the state of Washington to report on The National STEM Consortium – a program designed to target this type of structural unemployment by improving the scientific, technical and mathematical know-how of American workers. Anchor Jeff Greenfield interviews Seth Harris, the acting Secretary of Labor.

Read the show transcript.

This week’s coverage:

	Certifiably employable One Seattle program helps workers find a new industry with science, technology, engineering and math training.
	The new vocational training Find out about training opportunities in your locale, plus explore the federal government’s new employment site.
	Interview: Seth Harris The Acting Secretary of Labor on being the Job Hunter in Chief.
	Ask the experts: unemployment We’ve asked two experts to examine the causes of American unemployment and explain how we might fix some of the issues associated with it.
	American Voices: George Wentworth George Wentworth, a senior staff attorney at the National Employment Law Project, on prejudice against the unemployed.

Explore more from our Help Wanted series:

	Modern manufacturing 101 The demand for skilled labor continues to expand but the global workforce has not necessarily caught up.
	Ask the experts: skills gap We’ve asked two experts to talk about the skilled labor gap and issues surrounding the debate.
	Manufacturing jobs Need to Know looks at Alabama’s efforts to train a new generation of shipyard workers to fight unemployment and attract business to the state
	Update: Self starters In most states, jobless benefits are there to cushion the blow while you look for work. But Oregon does something different, using the benefits to encourage people to start their own businesses.

Watch more full episodes of Need to Know.