Stimulus Dollars Help Students Plan for Future Careers

[Robert Toy]

Justin Menning was pretty sure he wanted to be an accountant. Now the case is settled. "This is actual hands-on experience with what I want to do when I graduate from college," the University of Central Missouri junior said. "This is the first time that I've gotten to experience this kind of work, and actually do it, and I do enjoy it."

Kalia Newton intended to major in finance at the University of Missouri in Columbia. "Now I'll be a double major. I'll change my major next year to nursing as a second major," Newton said.

Deraan Washington spent last summer working at a restaurant. Now she's learning marketing psychology. "It has definitely broadened my horizons and made me look into different things," she said.

All three are spending their summers getting their new career experiences thanks to federal stimulus dollars.

That's because Missouri is using a portion of its funding from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on what it's calling the Next Generation Jobs Team. Menning, Newton and Washington are among the 6,500 students between the ages of 16 and 24 working this summer in high-tech jobs around the state, in opportunities that are changing their expectations for their own careers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=8054277&page=1

Very notable actions for the 6,500 students, but how does it qualify under TARP when there are real people who need real jobs to feed their families and keep their houses?

 

[Gretad08]

Justin Menning was pretty sure he wanted to be an accountant. Now the case is settled. "This is actual hands-on experience with what I want to do when I graduate from college," the University of Central Missouri junior said. "This is the first time that I've gotten to experience this kind of work, and actually do it, and I do enjoy it."

Kalia Newton intended to major in finance at the University of Missouri in Columbia. "Now I'll be a double major. I'll change my major next year to nursing as a second major," Newton said.

Deraan Washington spent last summer working at a restaurant. Now she's learning marketing psychology. "It has definitely broadened my horizons and made me look into different things," she said.

All three are spending their summers getting their new career experiences thanks to federal stimulus dollars.

That's because Missouri is using a portion of its funding from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on what it's calling the Next Generation Jobs Team. Menning, Newton and Washington are among the 6,500 students between the ages of 16 and 24 working this summer in high-tech jobs around the state, in opportunities that are changing their expectations for their own careers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=8054277&page=1

Very notable actions for the 6,500 students, but how does it qualify under TARP when there are real people who need real jobs to feed their families and keep their houses?

If we had money to spare, then by all means, spend it on things like this...make our schools better (I live in Missouri very near Mizzou).

Buuuuuut we don't have money to spare so PLEASE, STOP SPENDING IT ON THINGS THAT ONLY BENEFIT A FEW!

This irks me even more b/c it's benefiting a portion of the population who probably isn't paying much into the system yet. Most students don't work, or only work part time, so this TARP money they're benefiting from doesn't belong to them.

 

[johnnysannie]

Justin Menning was pretty sure he wanted to be an accountant. Now the case is settled. "This is actual hands-on experience with what I want to do when I graduate from college," the University of Central Missouri junior said. "This is the first time that I've gotten to experience this kind of work, and actually do it, and I do enjoy it."

Kalia Newton intended to major in finance at the University of Missouri in Columbia. "Now I'll be a double major. I'll change my major next year to nursing as a second major," Newton said.

Deraan Washington spent last summer working at a restaurant. Now she's learning marketing psychology. "It has definitely broadened my horizons and made me look into different things," she said.

All three are spending their summers getting their new career experiences thanks to federal stimulus dollars.

That's because Missouri is using a portion of its funding from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on what it's calling the Next Generation Jobs Team. Menning, Newton and Washington are among the 6,500 students between the ages of 16 and 24 working this summer in high-tech jobs around the state, in opportunities that are changing their expectations for their own careers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Story?id=8054277&page=1

Very notable actions for the 6,500 students, but how does it qualify under TARP when there are real people who need real jobs to feed their families and keep their houses?

It obviously doesn't. I happen to live in Missouri and unemployment here is pretty high, higher in some locations than others. Few jobs around anywhere and grown-up folks who already have their education are scraping to find jobs.