WASHINGTON – Federal job training programs in Oklahoma are a “convoluted mess” that cost $164 million a year and have little measurement for success, according to a report by Sen. Tom Coburn’s office.

One program, Job Corps, spends up to $76,000 per person to train young people for jobs that often pay minimum wage in Oklahoma, according to the report, which says overlap is common among 40 programs that are operated by more than 45 entities.

The system doesn’t work for most job seekers, many of whom don’t even know the programs exist, or for employers, the report claims.

“The vast majority that we spend on job training is not successful (at) getting someone into a job and a career path where they can stabilize their life, make a living and grow their opportunities,” Coburn said in an interview. “Most of what we’re doing in job training in Oklahoma is employing people in job training.”

Read full article.