WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The administration of President Barack Obama on Thursday announced a new effort to support summer jobs programs for young people across the country.
Despite the failure of action on behalf of Congress to advance the youth jobs program in the stimulus bill, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said Obama would act to 'put our young people to work this summer.'
Solis, speaking on a conference call with reporters, said she had secured significant commitments from private sector employers to hire young people, with a goal of creating 250,000 jobs for young people over the summer.
'I know how important (these programs are) because I'm a product' of similar programs, Solis said. 'These experiences put me on the right path to working with youth.'
'There is no replacement for the dignity of earning your first paycheck,' she added.
Solis said that the jobs do more than provide summer work for young people - they also allow ambitious young people to begin to realize their goals and bring young talent to the attention of employers.
'I challenge you to help us meet this commitment by making (openings) available for young people,' Solis said to employers. 'Summer jobs are good for our economy, good for our our country.'
In a written statement, Obama sought to underscore the importance of the summer jobs programs.
'America's young people face record unemployment, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they've got the opportunity to earn the skills and a work ethic that come with a job,' he said. 'It's important for their future, and for America's.'
He added: 'This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. That's why today, we're launching Summer Jobs+, a joint initiative that challenges business leaders and communities to join my Administration in providing hundreds of thousands of summer jobs for America's youth.'
Solis also emphasized the importance of reinforcing the dignity inherent in having a job, and the help it can provide to a family.
'These jobs aren't just important for young people, they're important for their families,' she said.
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