EMPLOYER SELECTIVITY The recruiting agencies make a preliminary selection of recruits for the MA programs, certifying their eligibility under the income and other criteria and assessing their interest in the jobs being offered, then refer them to the companies for interviews. Almost half (46%) of the companies surveyed hired 80% to 100% of those referred to them. White Collar programs were more selective than were Blue Collar employers; 70% of the Blue Collar employers hired over 80% of the agencies' referrals, while only 37% of the White Collar companies hired this many. Even among White Collar companies, this generally represented a higher-than-usual acceptance rate. A few companies remained highly selective; five companies (4% of the total responses) hired less than 20% of the referrals sent to them. CHARACTERISTICS of TRAINEES An extensive analysis of trainee characteristics, attitudes, and experiences is currently being conducted by consultants under contracts with the U. S. Dept. of Labor and the Office of Economic Opportunity. For this reason, and in order to avoid placing an excessive burden on those interviewed, Coalition JOBS limited the information requested about trainees to their sex, age, and ethnic characteristics, plus a brief description of how they differed from employees normally hired to fill similar jobs. SEX, AGE, and ETHNIC GROUP Slightly less than half (47%) of the trainees hired were men. In White Collar programs, the percentage of men (32%) was considerably lower than in Blue Collar programs (65%) with the exception of programs in Communications (61% Men) and Light Blue Collar industries (65% Women). The majority (68%) of the trainees were less than 25 years old. This was true in all categories except Light Blue Collar (41% under 25). Sixty-five percent (65%) of the trainees were Black, and 30% were Spanish-speaking, with White and other groups accounting for the remaining 5%. Spanish-speaking trainees were more likely to be in Blue Collar programs (37%), than in White Collar ones (25%), and were the majority (53%) in the Light Blue Collar category. Program Directors were asked to describe briefly any significant differences between trainees and employees normally hired to fill jobs similar to those covered by the MA Contract. It was expected that most trainees, all of whom were certified as "disadvantaged" by either the New York State Employment Service or the Manpower and Career Development Agency, would differ from employees hired prior to the MA program. WHITE COLLAR PROGRAMS Less education was the difference mentioned most often in White Collar programs. Differences in attitudes, especially a lack of selfconfidence or motivation,were also noted frequently. A lack of experience and skills, lower reading or math levels, lower test scores, less stable employment records and more personal problems than regular employees were also mentioned in White Collar programs. Four White Collar programs (ali retail firms) noted little or no difference between MA trainees, and employees were hired through regular procedures. BLUE COLLAR PROGRAMS In Blue Collar programs, differences in attitude, lower educational level, lack of experience or skills and poor employment records were mentioned about equally. Seven of the Blue Collar programs (primarily in the "Light" category) noted no significant differences between trainees and those they ordinarily hire for similar jobs. The fact that 11 programs noted no significant differences between trainees and regular employees does not mean that their trainees were less disadvantaged than those in other programs. For the most part, these programs were in companies whose regular work force is drawn from the disadvantaged population. CHARACTERISTICS of PROGRAMS WAGES DURING and AFTER TRAINING Over 90% of the trainees were paid less than $2.20/hr. at the beginning of their training programs, with $1.95 the median training wage. By the end of their training programs, one in five trainees could look forward to earning $2.60/hr. or more, two in five to jobs paying from |