Unemployed urged to ‘find something new’ in advertisement

WASHINGTON —Anew White House-backed ad campaign aims to encourage people unemployed or unhappy in their jobs or careers to “find something new.”

The opening ad in the “Find Something New” campaign Tuesday features ordinary people sharing their stories. A companion website provides links to training and other resources.

The initiative was swiftly criticized on social media, with some suggesting the effort is insensitive during a pandemic and the widespread unemployment it has caused.

Others criticized the involvement of Ivanka Trump, President Donald Trump’s daughter and White House adviser.

The Trump administration has long emphasized skills-based job and vocational training as an alternative to two- or four-year college degree programs, arguing that college isn’t for everyone and that many jobs don’t require a degree.

But the long-in-theworks effort has taken on a new sense of urgency after the coronavirus outbreak cost millions their jobs, many of which may be lost forever.

The campaign is a product of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, which Trump created in 2018. The board is co-chaired by Ivanka Trump and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

“There has never been a more critical time for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to be aware of the multiple pathways to career success and gain the vocational training and skills they need to fill jobs in a changing economy,” said Ivanka Trump, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

The nonprofit Ad Council on Tuesday was announcing “Find Something New,” which it created in collaboration with IBM, Apple and members of the Business Roundtable, along with the White House and the workforce policy advisory board.