American Morning
Skilled labor in high demand, short supply
By Carol Costello
In the 80’s movie, "Flashdance," Alexandra Owens couldn’t wait to leave blue collar work behind. It wasn’t long before she said “goodbye blowtorch,” hello “fame.” Yes, it’s old fiction, but it neatly sums up where we are today.
Kim Barbano graduated from the University of Miami in 2008 with a degree in public relations. She has yet to find a job, yet the thought of taking this time to learn a trade is incomprehensible. “I think there is a lot of pressure to go to college and get a typical day job. And that isn’t working with your hands,” she said.
Let’s face it, there is little real passion for becoming electricians, manufacturing engineers, high-tech welders, plumbers or custom construction workers.
“There are still hundreds of thousands of jobs in manufacturing, but unfortunately people who are looking for jobs don’t necessarily have the skills to get into this field now,” says Chris Kuehl, with the Fabricators and Manufacturing Association.
According to a June, 2009 study by Deloitte LLP and The Manufacturing Institute, manufacturing topped the list of seven key industries as most important to the US economy, but only 17 percent of young Americans desire a job in manufacturing and only 30 percent of parents said they would encourage their children to learn a trade.
Church gives away cash in tough times
Editor's Note: CNN Business Correspondent Christine Romans is exploring how we balance faith and finances in a time when money is tight. Watch her special series, "In God We Trust," this Saturday at 8 p.m. ET – only on CNN.
Today our Christine Romans is taking us to a church where it pays to pray. Instead of giving to the poor, some parishioners are leaving with more cash in their pockets – an incentive to keep the faith in tough times.
Recovery Road: Students in the recession
Our Ali Velshi is on the road again. He's taking the CNN Express bus down south this week, having a conversation with real Americans about how they're getting by in this rough economy.
Today, he's talking with college students and recent college grads, all trying to find jobs. Ali joined us on Wednesday's American Morning from Columbia, South Carolina with day three of his series "Recovery Road."
Ali's financial road show
The CNN Express is hitting the road all this week to see if Americans are buying into claims the recession is over.
This morning, CNN Chief Business Correspondent Ali Velshi joined us live from Asheboro, North Carolina with the first part of his series, "Recovery Road."
Bailout money may be used to spark employment
Today President Obama will lay out new ideas to create jobs for millions of Americans still out of work. He's expected to propose cash incentives for small businesses and for people to fix their homes with more "green" materials.
Some in Congress are already asking where the president will get the money to pay for it all. Christina Romer, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, spoke to Kiran Chetry on American Morning Tuesday.
Debt collectors go to offensive extremes
Buried under debt with no way out. As more consumers fall behind on their bills, some in the collection industry are going to offensive extremes to get a hold of their cash.
But you should know, there are strict laws about how debt collectors have to do business. Our John Zarrella reports in this AM original.
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