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Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of
Labor Elaine L. Chao
University Good Samaritan Center
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
Friday, May 21, 2004
Thank you for that kind introduction, Sharon [St. Mary].
I am delighted to be here today at the University Good Samaritan Center
with you and the Governor. The U.S. Department of Labor awarded nearly $1.9
million to the Good Samaritan Society last month for its Healthcare Career
Lattice program. This program trains workers for critical-care jobs like
nursing. This on-site training is provided through an innovative blend of
distance learning, mentoring and clinical experience. This provides the
flexibility to meet workers' busy schedules as they prepare for new
opportunities.
And as this week's economic numbers show, opportunity is thriving in
Minnesota.
Last month, Minnesota's unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent. This
represents the biggest drop in Minnesota's unemployment rate since the state
started keeping records back in the 1970s! The number of Minnesotans who are
out-of-work dropped by 18,000. That is also a new record.
Minnesota added more than 12,000 jobs last month. This is the largest
gain since October 1999.
Job growth occurred in several industries, including professional and
business services, manufacturing and construction. In fact, the 4,500 new
manufacturing jobs represent the biggest monthly jump since the state started
keeping records in 1992.
These numbers track closely with the nation as a whole. They show that
the economy is getting stronger and stronger and that the President's jobs and
growth plan is working. We've seen 8 straight months of job growth, producing
1.1 million new jobs since last August. Nationally, the unemployment rate is at
5.6 percent, which is lower than the national average in the 1970s, 1980s and
1990s. The number of long-term unemployed and the median duration of
unemployment have both fallen. At the same time, average hourly wages rose 2.2
percent over the past 12 months. All of this is good news for America's working
families.
And the President's High-Growth Job Training Initiative will make sure
that workers are prepared for the opportunities created in this economic
recovery.
I just had a very good meeting with Sharon [Executive Director,
University Good Samaritan Center], Kathy Haider and other workers
participating in the program. I was very encouraged by what they said. And I am
delighted to know that the Department is playing a role in helping them prepare
for great careers in Minnesota's thriving 21st-century economy.
Health care is one of the fastest growing industries in Minnesota and
across the country. As our society ages over the next decade, we will need more
health-care professionals than ever before. In fact, 10 of the 20
fastest-growing occupations will be in acute, primary and long-term care.
The Good Samaritan grant is part of President George W. Bush's
High-Growth Job Training Initiative. Under this initiative, the Department of
Labor has awarded nearly $24.4 million to innovative health-care training
programs across the country. This national initiative will help ensure that
American workers have the skills to fill the new jobs being created in
high-growth industries.
President Bush and I are committed to linking job training to
high-growth fields where there is a demand for workers. That's what our grant
to the Good Samaritan Society is all about: linking workers with opportunities
to build solid career paths in a high-growth industry.
Now, it is my pleasure to introduce Governor Pawlenty. He is doing a
great job for Minnesota. And we will continue to work with him to ensure that
the workers in Minnesota have the skills they need to build brighter futures
for themselves and their families.
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