Great question. I think people need to start learning skills that are in high demand in today's economy. With everyone now going to higher education focusing on the highest paid fields; with only a limited amount of those positions available a large gap is created. technology and globalization has shifted the landscape into the higher educated economy. Machines and cheap labour are picking up the slack. 2/3 of people working minimum wage are over the age of 25. These are the people that are struggling to make it in the higher educated economy.
To compel people to move off minimum wage a few things need to happen:
- Education system needs to be changed.
- Big corporations need to stop relying on a low wage work force
- People should use minimum wage jobs as stepping stones
And yes. most people on minimum wage also receive some sort of government assistance. This is another reason for big corporations to stop relying on a low wage work force. Wxx-Mart for example say they help the local economy by adding jobs. These jobs are low quality jobs with very low pay destroying small businesses around these big corporations. basically we the taxpayers are subsidizing Wxx-Mart for their decision to hire a low wage workforce.