The proverbial well of government aid has run dry, leaving families in financial drought, scanning the skies for signs of an outpouring of new jobs and federal stipends. When the coronavirus disrupted America and its economy, numerous workers were laid off or furloughed, creating more competition for what few jobs remained.
At first, the government granted its residents like you and me access to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in order to support ourselves. Now, that support is gone, and many are stretching unemployment benefits in order to make ends meet. However, COVID-19 is still affecting job hunting efforts as fewer positions are being made available, and the few that are available are often way below the qualifications and experience of the person applying. It’s a waste of social capital and an indication of the lack of regard that officials have for the working class.
In order to combat this injustice, Utah needs to band together to create more jobs. It’s not enough for these individuals to simply “apply” or “get a job.” One historically proven way to create more jobs is to invest in education. Funding education means that individuals with higher education can get a job that pays more. Since they’ll be paid more, people with funnel money back into the economy, making it possible for businesses to remain open and start hiring more employees again. Teachers are always needed, especially right now as teachers at all levels of academia are struggling to keep up with the demands caused by the pandemic.
We need more people standing up to demand more funding of education. Contact your local officials, vote, speak up for more unity and more opportunities.
Helen Felt, Holladay