Why Youth Employment?
Prolonged and historically low unemployment have created worker shortages in many industries. At the same time, younger people entering the workforce are having difficulty finding jobs that pay well and build upon their existing skills.
One solution lawmakers are looking toward is creating and increasing options for youth employment. These opportunities are important because young people who are unable to access consistent work before the age of 25 will earn 44% less over the course of their lives. Gaining work experience can help youth excel and advance in the workforce.
According to a survey completed by the Center for Promise, a majority of youth felt they didn’t have the right skills or the right work experience to obtain a job they desired. Additionally, youth employment provides opportunities to ease the financial strain on young people. The Department of Education recently reported 40% of young people ages 16-24 felt they were barely surviving financially.
On top of youth struggles, employers are still struggling to attract and retain workers. As of March 6, 2024, there are still over 8.9 million job openings in the U.S. Many of these openings are in skilled positions and industries, such as health care, manufacturing and information technology. Providing youth with work experience and training can help them eventually fill these gaps in the workforce, while also gaining tangible skills and/or credentials to help them in the labor market.
Work-Based Learning
Work-based learning can start as early as elementary school, but can extend through high school and even to community colleges and universities. Work-based learning involves a wide array of strategies that offer students experiential opportunities to explore careers; legislative interest in these programs is growing. Examples of work-based learning can be anything from career fairs and career counseling to internships and even to apprenticeships. Successful work-based learning programs provide students the opportunity to explore numerous career paths and then gain experience in their industry of choice.
Students are gravitating towards these opportunities. The most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows about 85% of all high school graduates had participated in at least one career or technical education class prior to graduation. Unfortunately, many states lack the data systems to track their career progress post-graduation.
- In 2023, Indiana passed House Bill 1002, which provides career exploration and readiness opportunities for youth. The law requires most high school students to meet with an intermediary, employer or labor organization to learn about career opportunities. Additionally, the legislation creates a scholarship program that provides scholarships for education outside of traditional four-year institutions, such as apprenticeships and short-term credentials.
- Maryland has made strides through initiatives like the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future”. This blueprint requires work-based learning to be implemented into PreK-12 education and has a goal for 45% of high school students to graduate after completing a registered apprenticeship or workforce credential.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships are work-based learning programs completed under the supervision of a master or senior worker that include both a paid work and an educational component. Apprenticeship programs can be desirable because they provide workers with a job upfront, allowing them to immediately begin collecting wages while receiving classroom instruction and additional training. Additionally, these programs are designed to culminate in the completion of a skilled labor certification or even a four-year degree, providing workers with valuable credentials to land well-paying jobs.
Historically, apprenticeships tended to focus on trades, such as pipefitting, carpentry, bricklaying, and more. In recent years, however, apprenticeships have expanded to new industries, such as education, healthcare and tech.
Registered apprenticeship is also increasingly popular among youth. According to Jobs for the Future, the number of new youth apprentices grew per year from 18,877 to 40,293, an increase of 113%.
- North Carolina makes it easy for students and employers to participate in youth apprenticeships. The state provides tuition-free dual enrollment through the Career and College Promise, which also covers costs for youth apprenticeships.
- The state of Colorado works with CareerWise Colorado, a business-led nonprofit organization, to support youth apprenticeships statewide. Additionally, the state provides financial incentives to high schools for each student who completes a training program.
Credentials
A credential is an acknowledgement authorized by a third party, such as a trade union, community college or industry group, that certifies the holder in a particular skill. Credentials can include a range of programs, such as certificates, industry certifications, “microcredentials,” and occupational licenses. These programs tend to be a faster and cheaper alternative to a four-year college degree. These factors are important because many employers, including state and local governments, have dropped degree requirements from their job postings. Data from the Burning Glass Institute found that approximately 46% of middle-skill and 31% of high-skill occupations showed declines in degree requirements on job postings. In general, quality credential programs are a great opportunity for youth to learn employable skills quickly and at a low cost.
While credentials can help a young person in lieu of a degree, these students may eventually want to pursue higher education. Some credentials can stack together as college credit. If credential holders decide to pursue higher education in the future, their credentials can lower the cost and barrier to entry of degrees.
- The Gap Tuition Assistance Program was created by the Iowa Legislature to provide financial support for students pursuing nondegree credentials and certificates in high demand occupations, such as those in health care and advanced manufacturing. The Department of Education keeps a list of approved programs, and the state tracks student outcomes.
- Virginia’s FastForward program was designed to create and sustain a demand-driven supply of credentialed workers for high-demand occupations in the state. Programs are funded by the “paying for success” model, where students pay only one-third of tuition costs upon registration. An additional third is covered by the state upon training completion and the final third is paid by the state when a credential is earned. Over 32,000 certificates and credentials have been issued in 40 in-demand careers across the state.
Job Corps
Job Corps is an all-encompassing way to provide workforce experience and training for young people. The programs tend to provide training and education, and sometimes housing, for young adults while filling gaps in state employment. In general, the programs provide youth with an opportunity to give back to local communities. For example, participants might help survey water quality, tutor students or connect people with health care. While participating in Job Corps, youth usually earn a stipend or hourly wages.
- Hawaii authorized (SB 2768, 2021) a green jobs program known as the Kupu ‘Aina Corps. The program provides a year of employment for youth seeking experience in Hawaii’s environmental sector. Paid opportunities include positions in sustainability, agriculture, environmental technology and more.
- Connecticut established (HB 6354, 2023) a green jobs program to promote development of skills in green technology to expand the state’s workforce.