Keyword Jobs

Bill Moyers takes a piercing look at how global economic changes are destroying the lives and livelihoods of hardworking Americans. The documentary follows several individuals and their families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as they fight to make ends meet in the “new economy.” In sheer numbers, more jobs were created than lost in America during the last decade, but a look behind those numbers reveals a shortage of jobs that pay enough to support a family. The program intimately portrays the lives of workers and their families as they struggle to make it in today’s job market.

After discovering the man who raised him is not his biological father, 15-year-old Ian's world is forever changed. His mother refuses to identify his real father, fueling Ian's desire to escape suburbia. His girlfriend urges him to stay and work things out, while his best friend continues to lead him down a violent path. The duo sell drugs to make money – until their dealer offers an easier, deadlier way to get rich quick.

Explore monumental changes in the workplace and the long-term impact on workers, employers, educators and communities. Employment is part of the American Dream. Will the future provide opportunities for jobs that sustain families and the nation?