Training Negroes for Occupational Opportunities

Abstract

The recent depression has concentrated attention of all thoughtful persons upon the problem of occupational opportunities. The fact that so large a percentage of our working population has not been able to find gainful employment during the last seven or eight years is being received with alarm. There are two features of this problem: one is the inability of our economic organization to absorb all workers who are capable and ready to work; the other is the problem of the individual worker who faces a limited market for his labor. Obviously, these two things are closely related. Until our economy is adjusted and modified to absorb the majority of the workers, there are sure to be many individuals who, regardless of training, will not find, jobs. On the other hand, the individual worker will stand a better chance for successful, gainful employment in any society if he has so planned his training as to be in step with the needs of industry. The lesser the aggregate needs, the greater the emphasis upon the selection of the best trained person for each job. The responsibility of the school is to cope with both phases of this problem. It should be the function of the Social Science departments in colleges to analyze current economic and social developments. Such analysis should inquire into the reason for unemployment and trade cycles; it should study the modus operandi of the economic order and suggest modifications in it which will prevent the continued occurrence of economic depressions. Not only should there be discussions of should be done, but adequate coordination of courses should associate the what with the how; and means of achieving results should be presented. Certainly, it is stupid to prepare men and women to do specific or general work in society without acquainting them with the nature of that society. Such an acquaintanceship includes an appraisal of their chances of finding desirable employment and enjoying reasonable security in that employment. The second phase of the problem is concerned with discovering trends in employment and perfecting means for training people to follow the occupations which appear to be open in the future. Each new shift in demand and every change in consumption habits affect the future occupational pattern. These two things are, in turn, influenced by changes in income structure at home and abroad, the availability of foreign markets, and the stage of industrial development of this and other countries. While one cannot predict the exact requirements of industry, trade, and communication in the future, one can discern certain trends. On the basis of these trends, it is possi-