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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Struggling in a recovering economy | Struggling in a recovering economy |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| By Michelle Fleury Business reporter, BBC News, New York | By Michelle Fleury Business reporter, BBC News, New York |
| America slowly appears to be emerging from recession, rebounding from its worst slump in decades. | America slowly appears to be emerging from recession, rebounding from its worst slump in decades. |
| I've been out of work a few months here or there but never like this Jon Polis | I've been out of work a few months here or there but never like this Jon Polis |
| New figures to be released on Thursday are expected to show that the US economy grew between July and September. | New figures to be released on Thursday are expected to show that the US economy grew between July and September. |
| But for many Americans the pain is still dragging on. | But for many Americans the pain is still dragging on. |
| More than 200 years ago, Slater Mill in Rhode Island helped kick off America's industrial revolution. | |
| For centuries, manufacturing, mainly in textile mills, provided jobs in this small north-eastern state, but not anymore. | For centuries, manufacturing, mainly in textile mills, provided jobs in this small north-eastern state, but not anymore. |
| Rhode Island now has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, after Michigan and Nevada. According to the US Labor Department, the rate of unemployment climbed to 13% in September. | Rhode Island now has the third highest unemployment rate in the country, after Michigan and Nevada. According to the US Labor Department, the rate of unemployment climbed to 13% in September. |
| This does not come as a surprise to Jon Polis. | This does not come as a surprise to Jon Polis. |
| Each day, he searches for work on his computer and in the local newspaper. | Each day, he searches for work on his computer and in the local newspaper. |
| He says his eight years working for a medical supplies company was over in eight minutes. He was laid off a year-and-a-half ago. Now his benefits have run out and he is living on his savings. | He says his eight years working for a medical supplies company was over in eight minutes. He was laid off a year-and-a-half ago. Now his benefits have run out and he is living on his savings. |
| "I can last maybe next March or April," says Jon. "After that I'll just have to go to my family and ask for money." | "I can last maybe next March or April," says Jon. "After that I'll just have to go to my family and ask for money." |
| At age 53, this is not the first recession he has lived through, but it is the worst. | At age 53, this is not the first recession he has lived through, but it is the worst. |
| "I've been out of work a few months here or there but never like this," he says. | "I've been out of work a few months here or there but never like this," he says. |
| Back home | Back home |
| It is not just the more experienced members of the labour market who are being affected. The recession is also hitting the young, potentially creating a lost generation. | It is not just the more experienced members of the labour market who are being affected. The recession is also hitting the young, potentially creating a lost generation. |
| I'll get kicked off my parents health insurance [in December]. Then I'm on my own Colleen Riley | I'll get kicked off my parents health insurance [in December]. Then I'm on my own Colleen Riley |
| Recent graduate Colleen Riley starts most of her days eating breakfast with her parents. It is a ritual she would enjoy a lot more if she had not been forced to move back home after she could no longer afford her own apartment. | Recent graduate Colleen Riley starts most of her days eating breakfast with her parents. It is a ritual she would enjoy a lot more if she had not been forced to move back home after she could no longer afford her own apartment. |
| Since finishing university in May she has struggled to find full time employment. In August she took on a part time job, working 20 hours a week at a local communications firm. | Since finishing university in May she has struggled to find full time employment. In August she took on a part time job, working 20 hours a week at a local communications firm. |
| But making ends meet is still a struggle. In three weeks time, she will have to make her first student loan repayment. | But making ends meet is still a struggle. In three weeks time, she will have to make her first student loan repayment. |
| "I did go to the university of Rhode Island, which is a public institution," Colleen says. | "I did go to the university of Rhode Island, which is a public institution," Colleen says. |
| "With the help of my parents they did pay off a good amount, but I do have about $10,000 in loans." | "With the help of my parents they did pay off a good amount, but I do have about $10,000 in loans." |
| Her health insurance coverage, which ends in December, is another source of worry. | Her health insurance coverage, which ends in December, is another source of worry. |
| "I'll get kicked off my parents health insurance," Colleen says. | "I'll get kicked off my parents health insurance," Colleen says. |
| "Then I'm on my own - so that's definitely my biggest concern." | "Then I'm on my own - so that's definitely my biggest concern." |
| 'Job-ready' | 'Job-ready' |
| With so many people out of work and for longer periods of time, the staff at Rhode Island's Department of Labor & Training are rushed off their feet. | With so many people out of work and for longer periods of time, the staff at Rhode Island's Department of Labor & Training are rushed off their feet. |
| Their goal, according to senior manager Scott Greco, is to make sure people are in the best possible position for when companies start hiring again. | Their goal, according to senior manager Scott Greco, is to make sure people are in the best possible position for when companies start hiring again. |
| "Right now our object with the training is to get people job-ready," he says. | "Right now our object with the training is to get people job-ready," he says. |
| But for Colleen and for Jon the economic recovery feels a long way off. | But for Colleen and for Jon the economic recovery feels a long way off. |
| "I think a very key ingredient to an economy coming back is employment coming back," says Jon. | "I think a very key ingredient to an economy coming back is employment coming back," says Jon. |
| "The last thing that is going to come back is employment." | "The last thing that is going to come back is employment." |
| America's economy may be improving, but with so many people still searching for work, a return to prosperity looks like a distant dream for many. | America's economy may be improving, but with so many people still searching for work, a return to prosperity looks like a distant dream for many. |