Michael S. Bernick
Encyclopedia
Michael S. Bernick served as Director of California’s labor department, the Employment Development Department
(EDD) from 1999 to 2004. He is a practitioner and theorist of job training. In a series of articles and books written during the 1980s and 1990s, he argues against the then-expanding social welfare system, and sets out alternative strategies of inner city entrepreneurship and market-based training and job ladders. In the 2000s, his practice and writing turned to the job losses accompanying globalization and technology, and the breakdown of the traditional employer-employee structure.
Bernick grew up in Los Angeles through Fairfax High School, and attended Harvard University (B.A. 1974), Oxford University (Balliol College, B. Phil. 1976) and the University of California, Berkeley Law School (J.D. 1979).
After graduating from law school, he spent much of the next seven years as executive director of the San Francisco Renaissance Center, a community job training agency that operated a series of literacy and vocational training classes, and an early welfare to work program. In 1986 Bernick went into private law practice but remained a board member of several community job training agencies until being appointed EDD Director in 1999. Following the recall of California Governor Gray Davis
, Bernick returned to law at the Sedgwick firm in San Francisco, and joined the Milken Institute
as a fellow in employment policy. He continues to volunteer with several community job training agencies in the Bay Area.
Bernick was an early proponent of what became welfare reform under President Bill Clinton
, and of market-based approaches to vocational and literacy training. He also argued for strategies of inner city entrepreneurship and inner city loan funds.
After becoming EDD Director in 1999, Bernick continued to write about training strategies, particularly job ladders for low wage workers and employment for workers with disabilities. His 2006 book, Job Training That Gets Results is an attempt to summarize lessons learned from the job training programs of the past 50 years. It contains the themes of market-oriented training and entrepreneurship, along with the professionalization of the low wage workforces, role of extra-governmental entities, and restructuring of government social services structures.
(BART) rail system and soon began to note the lack of land development linked to rail. With UC Berkeley Professor Robert Cervero, he established a research center at UC Berkeley focused on the link of land use and transit, and together they published a series of articles leading to their 1996 book, Transit Villages in the 21st Century. The book helped to develop and popularize the transit village
concept.
Employment Development Department
The Employment Development Department is part of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency of the executive branch of the State of California. EDD offers a variety of services to millions of Californians under the Job Service, Unemployment Insurance, Disability Insurance, Workforce Investment,...
(EDD) from 1999 to 2004. He is a practitioner and theorist of job training. In a series of articles and books written during the 1980s and 1990s, he argues against the then-expanding social welfare system, and sets out alternative strategies of inner city entrepreneurship and market-based training and job ladders. In the 2000s, his practice and writing turned to the job losses accompanying globalization and technology, and the breakdown of the traditional employer-employee structure.
Bernick grew up in Los Angeles through Fairfax High School, and attended Harvard University (B.A. 1974), Oxford University (Balliol College, B. Phil. 1976) and the University of California, Berkeley Law School (J.D. 1979).
After graduating from law school, he spent much of the next seven years as executive director of the San Francisco Renaissance Center, a community job training agency that operated a series of literacy and vocational training classes, and an early welfare to work program. In 1986 Bernick went into private law practice but remained a board member of several community job training agencies until being appointed EDD Director in 1999. Following the recall of California Governor Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
, Bernick returned to law at the Sedgwick firm in San Francisco, and joined the Milken Institute
Milken Institute
The Milken Institute is an independent economic think tank based in Santa Monica, California that publishes research and hosts conferences that apply market-based principles and financial innovations to a variety of societal issues in the US and internationally.The mission of the Institute, founded...
as a fellow in employment policy. He continues to volunteer with several community job training agencies in the Bay Area.
Criticism of the Welfare State, and Developing Market-Oriented Job Creation and Training
In the early 1980s, Bernick began a series of articles and books on job training and employment, written from the viewpoint of the practitioner. The Dreams of Jobs (1982) reviews the job training programs in San Francisco from 1960 to 1980, and was followed a few years later by Urban Illusions (1986), covering job training experiences at the Renaissance Center.Bernick was an early proponent of what became welfare reform under President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, and of market-based approaches to vocational and literacy training. He also argued for strategies of inner city entrepreneurship and inner city loan funds.
After becoming EDD Director in 1999, Bernick continued to write about training strategies, particularly job ladders for low wage workers and employment for workers with disabilities. His 2006 book, Job Training That Gets Results is an attempt to summarize lessons learned from the job training programs of the past 50 years. It contains the themes of market-oriented training and entrepreneurship, along with the professionalization of the low wage workforces, role of extra-governmental entities, and restructuring of government social services structures.
Impacts of technology and globalization on the structure of jobs
Since leaving EDD in 2004, Bernick’s writing has turned to the job losses due to technology and globalization, and to the loss of job security and rise of contingent forms of employment. In a series of California employment postings, he chronicled the large-scale job losses in California employment starting in 2007, and the transformation of California industries during the Great Recession. He has also chronicled the breakdown in job security and the emergence of forms of independent contracting, staffing, and professional employer organizations.Transit Village Movement
In 1988 Bernick was elected to the board of directors of the Bay Area Rapid TransitBay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
(BART) rail system and soon began to note the lack of land development linked to rail. With UC Berkeley Professor Robert Cervero, he established a research center at UC Berkeley focused on the link of land use and transit, and together they published a series of articles leading to their 1996 book, Transit Villages in the 21st Century. The book helped to develop and popularize the transit village
Transit village
A transit village is a residential development planned around a transportation hub, such as a train station, with the intent to make it convenient for village dwellers to get to/from work or run errands and travel via a public transportation network....
concept.