Government agencies and their wordplay

To date, I've really enjoyed the stories Big A has to tell about his experience in the unemployment office which in this state is called Michigan Works or MWorks for short (and I've been nagging him to blog about them). He finally had his seminar last week to learn about the state's No Worker Left Behind program. He has an interview scheduled tomorrow in hopes of becoming one of the 100,000 workers that actually isn't left behind. The name is a bit of a misnomer since there is a selection process so there are workers left behind. Also, if you find a job before you get accepted into the program, you are no longer eligible. Isn't that a kick in the pants from an agency that states all they want to do is find you a job, any job at all even at Mickey D's yet the stated ojective of the program uses the term "family-sustaining jobs in demand". The disconnect between the two confuses me.

Big A is bummed because if he does make it, they pay only for an associate's degree while he dreams of a field that requires a bachelor degree but as I and others have told him, getting half of it paid for is better than nothing plus our local community college and our local university have a tight connection with each other so transferring shouldn't be too much of an issue. Keep your fingers crossed that he gets accepted. I'm not sure if he has a Plan B if he doesn't and if not, he's going to be a bear to live with for a few days.

And me? I'm just buying time until March when I step up the job looking. I've already given myself a goal of not being here come June. I've even started to get rid of my cubicle holiday decor since I know I won't be here next Christmas. Much like I do when I put away my summer clothes for the season, I wonder where I will be next Christmas.