President Obama to Announce New Program to Help Kids Find Summer Jobs

December 2, 2011: President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the White House Tribal Nations Conference. (AP)

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is looking to boost summer job prospects for kids.

The White House says that with help from the private sector it's gotten commitments for nearly 180,000 youth employment opportunities for next summer and is aiming for tens of thousands more.

Obama says that with young people facing record unemployment the government must do everything it can to make sure they have opportunities to learn skills and a work ethic.

The summer jobs plan is to be announced Thursday. It's the administration's latest "We Can't Wait" initiative to go around Congress. Many of the positions would be unpaid training opportunities.

Republicans charged that the White House is taking credit for positions at places like CVS and Bank of America that were going to be created anyway.