Job Programs Cost Billions, Services Overlap

February 14, 2011

The federal government spends $18 billion a year on 47 separate job training programs run by nine different agencies, says USA Today.

All but three programs overlap with others to provide the same services to the same population, according to a government report released last week.
The Government Accountability Office found that "little is known about the effectiveness" of the programs because half haven't had a performance review since 2004.
Only five have ever had a study to determine whether job seekers in the program do better than those who don't participate.

Source: Gregory Korte, "U.S. Jobs Program Tab: $18B per Year," USA Today, February 10, 2011.

For text:

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20110209/1ajobtraining09_st.art.htm

For study:

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-92

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