GLT News Series:  Shifting Gears

Listen for a follow up, Monday, August 22nd during Morning Edition and All Things Considered

After this series first aired in June of 2010 it earned accolades from the RTDNA with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and a State Assoicated Press award. On Monday, August 22nd, the GLT News staff revists the series by revisiting those in it who were working to reinvent their careers in what's been called a jobless recovery. Find out how some of those featured in the series (listen below) are faring today. Hear the series at 6:34 and 8:34 AM during Morning Edition and at 4:29 PM during All Things Considered.

Shifting Gears, Revisited
Airdate: 8/22/11
Runtime: TBD
Listen here soon or listen on-air Monday, August 22nd

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Series Schedule:

• Mon 6/14   Part 1-- Introductions to people telling their stories and experts discussing the "jobless recovery."
• Tue 6/15   Part 2--The story of an ex-banker turned paralegal
• Wed 6/16  Part 3--The stories of laid-off manufacturing workers retraining to update their skill set
• Thu 6/17   Part 4--The story of a former newspaper reporter going back in college to become a teacher
• Fri   6/18   Part 5--The stories of two nurses who shifted from previous careers to help fill a shortage

Shifting Gears Pt.1

Air Date: 6/14/10
Run time: 5:01

Unemployment news has improved marginally of late. And more people are showing a willingness to quit jobs and search for new ones, both signs the economy will eventually turn around. From laid off teachers, though, to human service workers idled by state budget cuts… from manufacturing workers (like Marvin Miller of Pontiac, pictured above) to white collar employees, there’s a huge number of people left without jobs or who see the handwriting on the wall. WGLT’s Charlie Schlenker begins our week-long news series “Shifting Gears” with an examination of the underlying conditions of this jobless recovery from the Great Recession.

• Why this is called a jobless recovery. Dan Rich 1:54
• How the economy is restructuring. Dan Rich 3:47
• Some growing occupations. Dan Rich :33
• The effect on wages going forward. Mike Seeborg :46
• Does the Country need more stimulus? Mike Seeborg 2:12

 

Shifting Gears Pt. 2

Air Date: 6/15/10
Run time: 3:41

When an economic recession hits, the image of laid off factory workers often springs to mind, but white collar workers are getting pink slips this time around, and they face different challenges.

• Cynthia Fleri (pictured above), who's now studying to become a paralegal after more than three decades in the banking profession, on the definintion of success.
• Long Time I-R-S employee Joanne Finger asseses her future.
• Greg Rivara with the Illinois Department of Employment security on skill assesments

Shifting Gears Pt. 3

Listen to Charlie Schlenker's Story (mp3)
Air Date: 6/16/10
Runtime: 5:08

In part three of our GLT News Series "Shifting Gears", we hear from manufacturing workers. For decades foreign industries have eroded the U-S employment base and new technology has changed the nature of what remains in that sector. WGLT’s Charlie Schlenker reports on a couple of men are now trying to retrain as Heating and Cooling Technicians seen above after their work of three decades went the way of the occupations of Bowling Pin Setter and Lamplighter.

• Of the 142 students at the Midwest Technical Institute, Placement Coordinator Dave Hawkins says more than half are laid off people retraining. 1:34
• Listen to Dave Hawkins talk about the challenges in this form of education and retraining. 1:31

 

Shifting Gears Pt. 4

Listen to Laura Kennedy's Story (mp3)

Air Date: 06/17/10
Run time: 5:31

There's plenty of bad news in the newspaper business these days.  Dwindling ad revenue has resulted in job layoffs, including many life-long journalists. Hear from a victim of media budget cutting (Steve Arney, pictured) who is starting over in an industry that is experiencing its own difficulties.

• Steve Arney discusses how he feels about being in class with kids half his age and how he thinks he can learn from them.

Shifting Gears Pt. 5 (mp3)

Listen to Willis Kern's Story (mp3)

Air Date: 06/18/10
Run time: 5:16
Over the past decade, many "reinvented" people have moved into the nursing field. Colleges are churning out more nurses to meet a substantial shortage. In the final installment of the GLT News Series, "Shifting Gears," meet Jamie Graack (pictured) and another nurse who took advantage of an accelerated college course to help re-make the vision of who they want to be.

• Graack discusses why he loves working in an emergency room setting.
• Nurse Elaine Smith offers encouragement to others faced with shifting careers.