Obama: Economic recovery is 'going to take time'

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says people need to be patient about the economic recovery and that training workers for manufacturing jobs will help with the turnaround.

The recession didn't happen overnight and won't end that way, either, the president said Saturday in his weekly radio and online address.

"It's going to take time," Obama said.

Recent polling found broad disapproval with Obama's handling of the economy as the 2012 presidential election takes shape. It reached 59 percent in a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Job growth slowed sharply in May and unemployment inched up to 9.1 percent. Economic indicators also showed that manufacturers cut 5,000 jobs last month. Those were the first job losses in that sector in seven months.

No president since World War II has won a second term with a jobless rate above 7.2 percent, and Obama's options for achieving faster economic growth before the November 2012 election appear limited.

Obama scheduled a visit to Durham, N.C., on Monday for a session with his jobs council on how Washington can encourage private-sector hiring. Council members and administration officials also planned to hear from businesses in the region.

On Wednesday, Obama announced an effort by the private sector, colleges and the National Association of Manufacturers to help half a million community college students become trained and certified for manufacturing jobs. They would get a credential guaranteeing that they are skilled.

"If you're a company that's hiring, you'll know that anyone who has this degree has the skills you're looking for," the president said Saturday.

"If you're a student considering community college, you'll know that your diploma will give you a leg up in the job market."

Obama said other steps, such as providing students with a quality education and investing in new jobs in the clean energy sector, will aid economic growth.