The City of Stockton unemployment rate is 12.6%, nearly double that of the entire State of California (6.5%). In response to this regional need, the Chamber formed the Stockton Chamber Apprenticeship Program (SCAP) Development Committee, comprised of Human Resource Professionals from Stockton and San Joaquin County businesses committed to designing an equitable, comprehensive program to place clients into full-time jobs. Thus, the SCAP Committee directed Chamber staff to facilitate a SCAP pilot project to demonstrate program viability. Subsequently, SCAP placed 52 Stockton residents into full-time jobs. Washington, DC unemployment rate is 8.8%. DC's unemployment rate remains nearly 1.3 times the national rate. The District's minimum wage is $7.00 per hour because of this Washington DC has lost purchasing power over the past decade. If it had been adjusted for inflation since 1997, the DC minimum wage would be almost $8 per hour today. 37% of DC residents read at or below a third grade level, more than 150,000 lack the basic literacy skills needed to obtain and hold an entry level job, and approximately 66,000 lack a high school diploma. It is estimated that high school dropouts earn an annual salary of only $19,000. |