. . . Where Concerted Action Is Needed for Job Training

Unemployment nationwide is at the lowest level in years. Yet concentrated unemployment, underemployment and lack of economic opportunities continue to be the biggest challenge to inner-city neighborhoods and to local programs like the Pacoima Workforce Development Initiative, which tries to connect people with jobs.

Pacoima has a 35% unemployment rate compared to the national rate of 4%. Of those who are employed, 40% earn less than $15,000 per year.

Ample evidence exists that education is the most important determinant of whether people will get good jobs and of how much they will earn. Effective education and job training are an integral part of any strategy for increasing employment.

But the federal welfare reform law shifts away from the idea that education and training are valuable and effective. Mandating work--and insisting that the person on welfare accept whatever job is offered--are now viewed as more effective ways to get people to work than providing education or training.

The federal and local governments are shifting toward incentive programs, such as subsidies or tax credits, for potential employers. Research, however, shows that for most employers, subsidies are not as useful as well-trained employees. Most employers would tell you that they want people who are qualified and can do the job.

The most effective incentive for employers is the creation of training programs designed specifically for the skills employers need and want.

The Pacoima Workforce Development Initiative is a project of the Los Angeles Urban Funders (a consortium of foundations) and is hosted by the Valley Economic Development Center.

This initiative is a framework agreed to by local employers, community-based organizations and government. Participants have agreed to:

* Develop and implement more effective training programs for the residents of Pacoima.

* Remove or at least minimize barriers to employment, such as lack of affordable child care and lack of transportation.

* Develop community support by building on the assets already in the community.

* Work closely with local employers to try to meet their staffing needs.

What is needed is to connect Pacoima residents to larger regional opportunities within the northeast San Fernando Valley and to upgrade their skills so that they can qualify for higher-paying, professional jobs, including access to employers outside Pacoima.

We have to treat joblessness not as an individual problem, but as a systemic one. The stakeholders should commit themselves to reorganizing the system through which people find employment in their community.

A strategy of this nature cannot be carried out by a single agency but requires a constellation of groups working together in a collaborative structure with clearly defined roles.

Individuals contribute by taking responsibility for their lives and their families, by working together with their neighbors to respond to shared concerns.

Businesses contribute by investing in the community, giving employment opportunities to local residents and advocating solutions.

Colleges and universities contribute by providing good education and employment preparation.

Local government contributes by providing for the basic needs of members of the community--safe streets, responsive social services--that create desirable places to live and do business.

With all of these actors working together, neighborhoods like Pacoima can build a bright future.

We have more millionaires than at any time in our history, but an estimated 600,000 Americans still sleep on our streets every night. Closing the opportunity gap should be our challenge and our commitment.