Boxer Talks Jobs in South Bay
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KCBS) _ Senator Barbara Boxer visited Silicon Valley on Friday, talking about the importance of retraining job seekers for the demands of the new workplace.
The U.S. Senator toured the Center for Employment Training in San Jose, a non-profit that's trained more than 100,000 people over the last 43 years.
She said the jobs they are training for will be the jobs of the future.
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"California right now is the hub of the clean energy economy in the whole country," said Boxer. "And I saw your students putting those solar rooftops on, learning the science behind solar. And I am telling you, if we keep focus, we will see these workers here working all over the state."
Hermelinda Sapien, the president of the CET said there is are still jobs available.
"The skills we're training in is culinary, which is still a skill that has jobs," she said. "And also teachers for child care as well as health occupations, who are still hiring people."
As optimistic as many in attendance were, many economists said they are expecting the job recovery to remain weak well into next year.
Meanwhile Carly Fiorina, who is running against Boxer, criticized her for touting job creation during her visit to Silicon Valley.
Fiorina said employment training efforts are of little use, especially with small businesses struggling.
She also said employers aren't hiring and there aren't any jobs for graduates.
Fiorina said that more than 2.2 million Californians are unemployed, the state's unemployment rate is at 12.3 percent and underemployment is at its highest level in decades.
