76-736 072 pt. 5- 35

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As Table VIII indicates, the percentage of those with. employment handicaps employed in the top two areas (Public Works/Transportation and Education) varies noticeably from the classifications of those in the national sample.

Those employed in the lowest three classifications-Environmental Quality, Social Services and Fire Protection-also varied from the national data, as Tables IX and X show. Where the percentage in a given category was high, it usually reflected a few major cities.

Of the 12 percent of PEP jobs allocated to Law Enforcement in the local Coalition sample, 37 percent were held by blacks and 12 percent by Spanish-Americans--clearly indicating that the cities have become conscious of the need to increase the

number of minorities on their police forces.

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The same was not true of Fire Protection. Only 2.5 percent of all jobs in the national data were in Fire Protection. Of these jobs in the local Urban Coalition sample, only 10 percent were held by blacks and 4 percent by Spanish-Americans, although 41 percent and 19 percent of the local Urban Coalition PEP employees were black and Spanish-American, respectively. The black and Spanish-American involvement was concentrated in a few cities. Traditionally, there has been a serious shortage

of minority employees in fire departments across the country. PEP could have been used more creatively to eliminate these traditional barriers to employment of minorities.

Similarly, a small number--3 percent--of the jobs provided under PEP were in Environmental Protection. Of those employed in these jobs, however, 41 percent were black and 18.5 percent It appears that traditional barriers to minority employment have not developed in those relatively new job classifications.

Spanish-American.

Additional information is needed to determine precisely what these jobs consisted of, whether the people with handicaps received any training or other manpower services, and to what extent they were given opportunity for permanent employment.

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VII EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES

Training, Administration and Supportive Services

The Act states that "Not less than 85 percent of the funds

appropriated...shall be expended for wages and employment benefits...."1

With this statement of intention Congress

placed in serious jeopardy the fulfillment of its intention

2

to provide related training and manpower services. With only limited funds remaining, the Public Employment Program at the local level was forced into one of two patterns. Cities either were required to identify and fill jobs for which no significant vocational training was necessary, or they had to fill jobs demanding skills and education with persons already possessing those skills and education. The Act does not provide sufficient manpower services to assure that individuals who did not already possess the skills could be adequately prepared for careers under the EEA.

The legislation requires that the program application include "a plan for effectively serving on an equitable basis "13 the significant segments of the population to be served. This is a major feature of the legislation, for it in effect requires the sponsoring agency to detail its strategy for serving racial minorities, veterans, youth, older (over 45)

1. Section 3(b).

2. Section 2.

3. Section 1 (c) (2).