Matching jobs to the jobless key to locating US's missing workers

Washington

A FEW years ago, Derek Hobbs could not find a job. He had three strikes against him: his age, 55, a criminal record, and a drug addiction that kept him out of the formal workforce for more than 25 years.

When he decided to turn his life around, most employers dismissed him without a thought. Determined to succeed, Mr Hobbs turned to an innovative programme specialising in matching people facing employment challenges to available jobs.

"They actually give people with those strikes against them a chance," he told AFP.

Mr Hobbs is just one example of a growing pro…