New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin

[Michie]

#1

1-12-14

Although in recent decades women have made historic advances in nearly all areas of American public life, a staggering number of women across the country are still teetering on the verge of poverty and economic disaster, a new report released Sunday shows.

Brandon Thibodeaux / for NBC News
Eveline's Sunshine Cottage resident Sheneka Collins helps her daughter, Tamiya, 7, with her homework at their home in Amarillo, TX, on Wednesday. Low-income or homeless single mothers are offered lodging and financial support through the program.




The report, co-authored by NBC News special anchor Maria Shriver and the Center for American Progress, takes a wide-angle snapshot of a national economic crisis — seen through the eyes of women. The key findings paint a portrait of an estimated 42 million women — and 28 million dependent children — saddled with financial hardship.

"These are not women who are wondering if they can 'have it all,'" Shriver wrote in her introduction to the report. "These are women who are already doing it all — working hard, providing, parenting, and care-giving. They're doing it all, yet they and their families can't prosper, and that's weighing the U.S. economy down."

Amid an apparent boom in female empowerment and participation — a time in which women earn the majority of secondary degrees and represent more than half of the country's voters — the report says that millions of women are still struggling on the margins of American society, bruised by the recent recession and the day-to-day trials of family finances.

Continued- New report says millions of women at risk of falling into poverty, economic ruin - U.S. News

 

[catholicbybirth]

I'm sorry, is this really new? I mean, divorced women who are mothers and have no college, let alone no college degree, well, what would anyone expect? Inflation is ridiculous. And the current president making the economy worse by the month, why should anyone expect anything different?

Janice

 

[LoAmmi]

I'm sorry, is this really new? I mean, divorced women who are mothers and have no college, let alone no college degree, well, what would anyone expect?

Honestly? I'd love to see more things put in place that would help these women and everybody else who is in a similar situation get a college degree or skills training.

 

[catholicbybirth]

Honestly? I'd love to see more things put in place that would help these women and everybody else who is in a similar situation get a college degree or skills training.

But who should pay for it? There is, but a lot of them are not seeking it out. At the local community college, there is a program that is set up that helps people get their GED. But did you know that starting this year, the test is changing and the cost of taking the test has been raised? I'm sure there are programs like these in place all over the country.

Janice

 

[LoAmmi]

But who should pay for it? There is, but a lot of them are not seeking it out. At the local community college, there is a program that is set up that helps people get their GED. But did you know that starting this year, the test is changing and the cost of taking the test has been raised? I'm sure there are programs like these in place all over the country.

Janice

We should all pay for it. An educated populous with better skills is a benefit to us all. The company I work for has trouble hiring people because of the skill set and education required for most positions. Those could be filled jobs right now if people had more access to education.

 

[catholicbybirth]

We should all pay for it. An educated populous with better skills is a benefit to us all. The company I work for has trouble hiring people because of the skill set and education required for most positions. Those could be filled jobs right now if people had more access to education.

Should we all pay for someone to get her education? My parents paid for mine, first time around, and I frittered it away. Now, I only have an A.A. degree and nearly 200 college hours.

I think it is bizarre that people want to hire only people who have B.A or B.S. degrees or higher for jobs that could easily be taught on the job. Especially when they hire people with Bachelor degrees that have nothing to do with the job. As in, BS in psychology for a job in the IT department.

Already people are getting degrees and they can't find jobs. What company do you work for that these college educated people can't find work with them?

Janice

 

[LoAmmi]

Should we all pay for someone to get her education? My parents paid for mine, first time around, and I frittered it away. Now, I only have an A.A. degree and nearly 200 college hours.

Well, to be honest, I would be happy for free education to whatever level desired (with decent grades) being offered to everybody via some public universities. The private ones can continue to do as they do now, even letting students take on loans as students do now. Let's face it, some schools just carry more weight than others and people would rather go there than a community college.

Already people are getting degrees and they can't find jobs. What company do you work for that these college educated people can't find work with them?

Not going to get into too many details, but generally people outside of admin staff are required to have psychology or engineering degrees.

 

[catholicbybirth]

So you are saying that a computer operator should have a psychology degree? Are you for real? What can understanding people's behaviors have to do with keeping a computer network running and making sure everything prints as it is supposed to do?

What is wrong with learning on the job? I mean, you learn how to do things one way in school, but the world does not always work the way the school taught. People who go from high school to college to the workforce are missing something called experience. Which is why, in the retail world, I would rather have a manager who has retail experience and not fresh out of the college of their dreams.

No, the reason the USA has gotten more expensive is because business have been encouraged to hire graduates for the top jobs. But tell me, what happened to this country that used to be prosperous when people did not necessarily have to have a degree to get a decent paying job? Also, are all degrees created equal? I would believe not.

Education is good. I am all for it. However, it would be great if we could train people to do the jobs the way they need to be done, but not necessarily the way the schools teach.

BTW, there is no such thing as a "free education", as somebody pays. Also, what makes anyone think that everyone who is in poverty can make it through college. There is a college in KY, though, which only takes impoverished people. It is called "Berea". I"m not sure if it is a college or a university. Anyway, they have a terrific program. The students all work on campus. They have done awesome things. I am not sure all states have such a college. It would be wonderful if they could.

Janice

 

[Needing_Grace]

So you are saying that a computer operator should have a psychology degree? Are you for real? What can understanding people's behaviors have to do with keeping a computer network running and making sure everything prints as it is supposed to do?

Uhm, a couple of thoughts there. By computer operator, do you mean someone who sits and does data entry all day or do you mean someone who actually makes sure that the network works? One is a basic, entry level job that anyone can do, the other requires a rather large set of skills that require a bit more than a basic high school education.

So, I think that the aforementioned engineering degree would fit that spot rather tidily. In fact, Engineering 101 (I know I've taken, and aced, it, thank you very much), one of the first classes an engineering major is supposed to take, involves an orientation in project management and teamwork in an engineering context.

 

[LoAmmi]

So you are saying that a computer operator should have a psychology degree? Are you for real? What can understanding people's behaviors have to do with keeping a computer network running and making sure everything prints as it is supposed to do?

You asked me about my company and hiring. We're not looking for "computer operators". If you're talking about IT, that generally falls under admin staff where I'm at. The requirements for admin positions are all based upon the position itself.

BTW, there is no such thing as a "free education", as somebody pays. Also, what makes anyone think that everyone who is in poverty can make it through college. There is a college in KY, though, which only takes impoverished people. It is called "Berea". I"m not sure if it is a college or a university. Anyway, they have a terrific program. The students all work on campus. They have done awesome things. I am not sure all states have such a college. It would be wonderful if they could.

You may note above that I also mentioned skills training. Yes, people can learn on the job for some things, but if you wanted to be a computer programmer you need the basic skill set to even get in the door. I can't think of a company that would hire someone who knew nothing of programming with the hopes of teaching them from scratch.

 

[catholicbybirth]

Uhm, a couple of thoughts there. By computer operator[/color], do you mean someone who sits and does data entry all day or do you mean someone who actually makes sure that the network works? One is a basic, entry level job that anyone can do, the other requires a rather large set of skills that require a bit more than a basic high school education.

So, I think that the aforementioned engineering degree would fit that spot rather tidily. In fact, Engineering 101 (I know I've taken, and aced, it, thank you very much), one of the first classes an engineering major is supposed to take, involves an orientation in project management and teamwork in an engineering context.

I mean someone who sits and monitors links, solve problems when programs that are running abort, who tweaks the unix data that is being sent via the pharmacy link, who is the first level help desk for numerous entities computers and who monitors the links between the different entities to make sure they are still up and running.

I realize the other departments need a bit more education, but nothing that one the job training couldn't cover. Yes, I shadowed a networking analyst and an user end analyst and saw nothing very complicated. Sure, I know there were things that I hadn't seen yet, but does that mean I would not know what to do? IOW, I'm talking about the lowly computer operator who was promoted because he had a college degee in psychology and I had taken programming classes and passed with an A. I talked with the boss and the next year, I was promoted, too. But the point being, how does a psychology degree prepare someone for working in IT? This was years ago in a time and place that was not good for me.

But the point is, just because someone doesn't have a college degree, should that automatically disqualify him/her from all good paying jobs? Yes, it should from some. But I doubt it should from all.

Janice