The National Journal asks whether we can learn something about addressing unemployment by studying elements of the unemployment insurance systems of other OECD nations, many of which make re-training a key part of transitioning from UI back to employment.  The American Jobs Act (dead man walking) contains a “bridge to work” provision that would include similar job training and apprenticeship programs (already in place in Georgia and North Carolina) as a means of aiding the long-term unemployed.  The Journal interviewed Dimitri Papadimitriou for their piece, who suggests that while a “bridge to work”-type program would be beneficial, this sort of thing would amount to (at best) nibbling around the edges of the unemployment problem:  “Papadimitriou cautioned that without a more general economic recovery, simply training unemployed workers doesn’t guarantee jobs.”  (read it here)

“Bridge to work” might be a positive addition to the social insurance system, but we shouldn’t mistake it for a “solution” to our unemployment problem.  As Papadimitriou illustrates in this Strategic Analysis, we should not expect unemployment to come down without a massive influx of demand, whether foreign (exports) or domestic (higher government deficits).